Former German finance minister Peer Steinbrueck, a
top figure in the opposition Social Democrats party, said Friday that
the split that emerged in Brussels between most European Union
members and Britain over euro rescue measures would likely create a
multiple-speed Europe.
The choice to go ahead with a fiscal union treaty without Britain
was "absolutely right," Steinbrueck said, in an interview with public
broadcaster Deutschlandradio Kultur.
"I believe it will end up being a two-speed European Union."
"There'll be a group of 'A' states which will advance on financial
market regulation, there'll be another group that advances for
example on budget and economic policy coordination, and perhaps a
third group that closely consults and coordinates on foreign policy
and defence," he said.
Steinbrueck, however, also accused Chancellor Angela Merkel of
muddling as the crisis developed.
Merkel "always makes too few decisions, too late and vaguely," he
charged, saying it had taken her a year and a half to decide in
favor of automatic penalties for governments running big deficits.
