Sir, – The Ipsos MRBI poll, the results of which you published at the weekend, was seriously flawed. The question of whether countries in receipt of special finance from the EU, ECB and IMF are “trying hard” or “should be trying harder” to fix their economies is patently nonsensical.
How does one define a nation state in this situation?
Is the Greek government trying hard enough? Are the rich Greeks who are squirrelling their assets away offshore trying hard enough? Or are the many thousands of young Greeks being forced to emigrate in search of work trying hard enough?
Reporting that the majority of a sample of German people believes that “Greece” should be “trying harder to fix its economy” is deliberately divisive and damaging, given the complexity of the problems we face as a Continent.
This poll perpetuates national divisions and cultural stereotypes at a time when Europe-wide solutions are needed. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Paco Erhard (“Self-critical confessions of a practising German”, Opinion and Analysis, August 27th) claims the Germans are rather unsure as to who they are. He need not worry: the rest of us have a fair idea. For my own part, I love Germany – but I loved it twice as much when there were two. – Yours, etc,