Angela Merkel has said in a speech in the German parliament that the euro zone crisis had not yet been overcome but that first signs of success were evident, especially in countries like Ireland and Spain.
Speaking a day after being sworn in for her third term, the country’s chancellor also called for European member states to commit to binding economic reform contracts.
Ms Merkel added that the founding flaws of the single currency union needed to be addressed urgently.
"Clearly the euro zone debt crisis is not yet overcome. One cannot emphasise this often enough. But we are seeing first successes and we are convinced it can be overcome permanently," she said in the Bundestag chamber.
Ms Merkel said she did not believe the necessary changes to European structures could be implemented without changes to the EU treaty.
