Everybody loves Wolfgang Schäuble: The German finance minister is more popular than ever with the general public

While Yanis Varoufakis is threatening to quit his job if the Greeks accept creditors' proposals for a bailout deal in Sunday's referendum, one Eurozone finance minister is building stronger ties than ever with his country. 

 

 

Today, Wolfgang Schäuble won the approval of 70 per cent of the German public in a survey carried out by national broadcaster ARD – an impressive feat for a politician on any side of the negotiating table.

 

The result was up one per cent compared to last month, and was his highest ever despite the deterioration of Germany's relationship with Greece. Since this time last month, the prospect of Greece actually leaving the Eurozone has become much more real. 

 

 

The 72-year-old German finance minister has always taken a tough stance on the struggling country, refusing to meet nearly all of its reform demands.

 

But it is not Greece that has lifted the German public's opinion of him, according to the survey – they support his moderate approach to the Ukraine crisis, which contrasts to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's firmer line. 

 

Merkel also came out well in the survey, but fell slightly behind Schäuble with 67 per cent approval.