Twitter Abuzz Over UK Columnist Owen Jones Slamming Merkel for 'Ruining Europe'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is responsible for plunging Europe into "catastrophic austerity" and for the "rising popularity of far-right groups," Owen Jones, British columnist and left-wing political activist wrote on Twitter.

Owen Jones, a columnist for The Guardian and a left-wing activist, argued that Angela Merkel "bears chief responsibility" for the negative consequences of austerity measures, such as mass unemployment, the rise of right-wing groups and "decimated public services."

"Her government isn't woke, it's a catastrophe for Europe," Jones wrote.

He stressed that decisive reforms are necessity to restore stability within the EU; otherwise the continent is in danger of plunging into chaos.

It's possible to support the European Union without supporting a) the German government or b) the disastrous rules governing the eurozone which have caused economic and social ruin.

The EU's survival depends on radical reform: opposing reform is the biggest danger facing the EU.

— Owen Jones🌹 (@OwenJones84) 11 июня 2018 г.

"It's possible to support the European Union without supporting a) the German government or b) the disastrous rules governing the eurozone which have caused economic and social ruin," he wrote.

Jones' remarks have stirred a mostly perplexed reaction among social media users.

As a labour supporter, I am baffled that prominent people within labour are orchestrating an attack on Germany and Merkel(shorthand for the EU), to cover their leaders incompetence and backwards thinking on this issue.

— James Atkinson (@jimmyjamesuk123) 11 июня 2018 г.

Yes and No.
There is definitely a structural imbalance in the eurozone that benefits Germany, harms some other eurozone countries, and is quite disastrous to southern countries.

— E_Huntley (@E_Huntley_93) 11 июня 2018 г.

However imbalances existed since its beginning however, way before Merkel, just because she hasn't tried to fix them, doesn't mean she can be blamed for all the problems it causes.

— E_Huntley (@E_Huntley_93) 11 июня 2018 г.

At a time where every thinking #democrat should support #Merkel, who is under intense fire, I am more than baffled how you can provide fuel for right-wing arsons. #fail

— (((Markus Dünzkoferن))) (@homoousian) 11 июня 2018 г.

Governments change. You are just another loudmouth populist with no solutions apart from destruction and setting people against each other. Left and right populists all the same.

— Coses Catalanes (@___q____5____) 11 июня 2018 г.

I agree re Eurozone austerity, but I do think she must be given great credit for her handling of the refugee crisis too.

— Ciaran Marshall #FBPE (@MacroMarshall) 11 июня 2018 г.