He is right in some way, but he also misses that german workers had to take a lot of cuts in pay, benefits and working conditions. While french workers only have a 35 hours work week and greece workers get to enjoy a long pension, germans work till 67 (soon 69) getting a lower pension (as percentage of pay) and mostly work 40 hours (for full time workers. Statistics are heavily skewed by (mostly) female part time work which is tax-incentized). Many countries did not adjust as hard to a globalized world as germany did (real wage loss in the last ten years while lowering pension, pushing back retirement age, etc.)
Well, and that's part of the problem no? When the economy improves why is not the welfare of the Germans improving? If not that their people have a better life, what it means that an economy is going well then?
We read about micro-jobs and how some retired people have to work again in one of the richest countries in the world.
What is the point of a stronger economy if the life is harder for their inhabitants?
I think that part of the answer is that this is a fight between countries only in appearance (or only as an excuse).
The thing is that the conditions have changed considerably. In earlier times there were 3-4 people working for every retired person and the average retirement span was ~5 years. Now it's 2:1 and ~15 years in retirement. Something has to give, sadly...
edit: I upvoted him, just for the record