Schroeder bitter after disastrous EU election

CHANCELLOR Gerhard Schroeder pledged to pursue his economic reforms despite his party’s thrashing in European Parliament elections, its worst showing since the World War II in a nationwide German vote.

Schroeder’s Social Democrats slumped to 21.5%, from 30.7% in the last European Parliament election in 1999, prompting critics in the party to call for a halt to trims in social welfare programmes and changes in his Cabinet.

The opposition Christian Democrats, who finished ahead with 44.5%, questioned whether Schroeder still has a mandate to run Germany.