GERMANY: Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has attacked a culture of social welfare free-loading in Germany in his most vigorous defence yet of his economic reforms, writes Derek Scally in Berlin
But sharp words can only worsen the already hopeless chances of his Social Democratic Party (SPD) in two state elections on Sunday, where extreme right- and left-wing parties are expected to be the big winners.
"In east and west there is a mentality, far into the middle classes, that you take advantage of social welfare where you can get it even when there is a sufficient income in the family," he told the consumer magazine Good Advice. "No welfare state can afford this long-term without going to ruin." Mr Schröder's government has been under fire during the last year for pushing through an austerity programme.
Most controversial are measures to cut the level and duration of dole payments and to means-tested benefits from next year.
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets every Monday for the last two months to protest against the reform plans.
Mr Schröder, a pragmatist at heart, has vowed to stand firm on the reforms, but his frustration was clear as he pointed out how Germans broadly accept the necessity for change - as long as it remains abstract.
"But shrinks very quickly when it gets concrete and to worry about the individual effects on the life situation." This is only human, he said, but no way to conduct responsible politics.
His remarks were immediately attacked by charities. "It shows how far removed the Chancellor is from the reality of these people," said Mr Ulrich Schneider of the Equality charity.
His remarks come as voters go to the polls in the two eastern German states of Brandenburg and Saxony tomorrow to elect new state parliaments.
Opinion polls show that the SPD will be the biggest loser while the big winners will be the extreme-left Party of Democratic Socialism, the reformed communist party, and the extreme-right National Democratic Party (NPD). The NPD is expected to win 9 per cent support in Saxony and enter a German state parliament for the first time since 1968.
Far right riding the wave of discontent: page 13