BERLIN, April 23 (Reuters) – Angela Merkel tried to contain
her irritation when asked at a podium discussion in Berlin this
week whether southern European countries could take much more
German-ordered austerity.

But the frustration in her voice was clear enough after a
week in which several European allies broke ranks, and in a
public challenge to Germany, effectively declared the era of
deficit reduction in Europe to be over.

BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday that euro zone members must be prepared to cede control over certain policy domains to European institutions if the bloc is truly to overcome its debt crisis and win back foreign investors.

Speaking at an event hosted by Deutsche Bank in Berlin alongside Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Merkel also defended her approach to the crisis against critics who argue she has put too much emphasis on austerity, saying Europe must find a way to deliver both growth and solid finances.