German Chancellor Angela Merkel is the only female leader participating in the G-8 summit in Northern Ireland. And as she meets with the male heads of state, the press has been inclined to keep a close eye on her, especially as she commented on the recent NSA controversy on Wednesday.
In a press conference Chancellor Merkel sat down with U.S. President Barack Obama to make statements regarding the recent American privacy controversy whose details were leaked by former CIA contractor Ed Snowden earlier this month.
"I made clear that although we do see the need for gathering information, the topic of proportionality is always an important one and the free democratic order is based on people feeling safe," Merkel said at a joint news conference with Obama, according to The Economic Times.
Other nations have been critical of president Obama as details emerge of the full extent in which.officials are monitoring citizen's phone calls and Internet usage.
The Obama administration recently claimed Congress was not only fully aware of all the details of the probes,but continually authorized the practices. Now many lawmakers in Washington are on damage control from the pressure of public sentiment.
"That's why the question of balance and proportionality is something we will continue to discuss and where we have agreed further exchange of information between the German Interior Ministry and the authorities concerned in the United States," Merkel said.
NPR reports that during that same conference President Obama said when he entered into office he had a "healthy skepticism" about the surveillance program, but today is "confident that at this point, we have struck the right balance."
