Merkel's Party Allies Say Germans Should Be Ready for Four More Years of Her Policies

German chancellor doing well in polls ahead of election

Europe's leaders should brace for four more years of unbending German policies to fight Europe's debt crisis as Chancellor Angela Merkel leads the polls seven weeks before elections, one of her senior party allies said.

If re-elected, Merkel will stick to her position that neither government nor bank debt can be mutualized as long as risk takers are free to make others pay for their own mistakes, Michael Meister, deputy chairman of Merkel's Christian Union caucus in parliament, said in a July 31 telephone interview.