VOA慢速英語：英國總理梅和撒切爾夫人面臨同樣挑戰(zhàn)

Britain’s May Faces Same Challenges as Thatcher

英國總理梅和撒切爾夫人面臨同樣挑戰(zhàn)

British Prime Minister Theresa May took office Wednesday, becoming the country’s second woman leader after Margaret Thatcher.

英國總理特麗莎.梅本周三就職，梅成為繼撒切爾夫人之后第二任女領(lǐng)導人。

May was formally appointed by Queen Elizabeth after a meeting at Buckingham Palace. The new prime minister succeeded David Cameron, who stepped down after Britain voted to leave the European Union.

在白金漢宮會議之后，梅正式被英國女王伊麗莎白任命。在英國公投退歐之后，戴維梅卡倫辭職，梅這位新總理成功就職。

May is already being compared to Thatcher, the iconic former leader known as the “Iron Lady.”

梅已經(jīng)做好了和撒切爾夫人做比較的準備，這位前領(lǐng)導人以“鐵娘子”知名。

Leading at an important time

重要時期，領(lǐng)導英國

Thatcher, a Conservative, was Britain’s longest-serving prime minister of the 20thcentury, holding office from 1979 to 1990. Besides being Britain’s first female prime minister, she was also the first woman to lead a major Western democracy.

撒切爾夫人，保守黨，是英國20世紀最長任職期總理，任期從1990年到1979年。撒切爾夫人不僅是英國首位總理，也是首位西方民主國家領(lǐng)導人。

One of the main comparisons between the two women is that May, 59, will be leading Britain through a historically important time. She will be in charge of overseeing the country’s complex transition out of the EU.

兩位領(lǐng)導人最主要的比較就是梅，59歲，將領(lǐng)導英國渡過重要的歷史時期。她將負責監(jiān)督英國退歐的復雜期。

Before last month’s referendum, also referred to as “Brexit,” May campaigned with Cameron for Britain to stay in the EU. Since the vote, she has pledged to help the country “forge a new role for ourselves in the world.”

上個月公投之前，也就是退歐之前，梅反對卡梅倫仍留在歐盟。從公投開始，梅已經(jīng)保證能夠幫助英國在世界上成為一個新的角色。

Britain’s stock market and currency plunged after the Brexit vote and economists have predicted more challenges ahead. This week, the EU’s economic affairs commissioner warned Britain’s economic growth could drop 2.5 percent as a result of Brexit.

在英國公投退歐之后，英國股票市場和貨幣暴跌，并且經(jīng)濟學家預示前面還有更多的挑戰(zhàn)。本周歐盟經(jīng)濟事務(wù)官警告英國的經(jīng)濟將會以為退歐降低2.5個百分點。

Britain will also be faced with negotiating separate trade and political relationships with EU member nations. Cameron called May “a brilliant negotiator” Wednesday and urged her to maintain close ties with EU states.

本周三，英國將會面臨和其他歐盟成員關(guān)于貿(mào)易和政治分離的談判。卡梅倫稱梅為“精明的談判家”?？穫惲衩泛蜌W盟保持緊密聯(lián)系。

Earlier this week, May said her goal would be to “negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU.” She said she would also aim to “make a success” of Brexit.

本周之前，梅表示她的目標是為脫離歐盟商談出最有力的條件。她表明她的目標是成功退歐。

Historical parallels

歷史的相同點

It is clear that May will need to rely on her negotiating skills, as well as those of others, to lead Britain through the Brexit process. Thatcher was considered a tough negotiator from day one and she built on that reputation throughout her career.

很明確，梅將要依靠她的談判技巧去脫離歐盟。撒切爾從一開始就被認為是堅韌的談判家，并且在她的職業(yè)生涯揚名萬里。

Thatcher maintained a firm stance on separatist movements in Northern Ireland. She also used strong language when addressing the Soviet Union and its nuclear expansion during the Cold War.

撒切爾從北愛爾蘭分離運動中獲得了堅固的地位。她也在冷戰(zhàn)時期，向前蘇聯(lián)核擴張發(fā)表強有力的演說。

Whether May will adopt this same approach to her public statements and negotiating style remains to be seen.

梅是否會采取相同的公共聲明和談判技巧，還有待發(fā)現(xiàn)。

On her first day in office, May appointed Boris Johnson, a leading supporter of Brexit, as the new foreign secretary. She is expected to appoint a special minister to guide the Brexit process and be a chief negotiator.

在她就職的第一天，梅任命鮑里斯·約翰遜為新外交部長，鮑里斯·約翰遜為退歐的主要支持者。

Perhaps the most interesting parallels the two women share can be seen in a historical context.

也許兩位女領(lǐng)導人之間最有趣的相同點是歷史背景。

May faces Brexit uncertainties and a declining economy.

梅面臨退歐的不確定性和下滑的經(jīng)濟形勢。

Thatcher came into office at a time when Britain was going through political and economic turmoil. Labor disputes throughout the 1970s led to widespread strikes and high unemployment. There was public anger over high taxes, power shortages and trash in the streets.

撒切爾是在英國面臨政治和經(jīng)濟混亂時期就任。19世紀70年代導致大范圍的罷工和高失業(yè)率。重賦，電荒和滿街的垃圾導致公眾憤怒。

In 1976, economic conditions got so bad that Britain’s currency collapsed and nearly led the country into bankruptcy. Thatcher was elected on a platform of fighting the recession and dealing strictly with labor organizations seen as causing unrest.

在1976年，經(jīng)濟形勢變得愈發(fā)惡劣，導致英國貨幣瓦解并幾乎導致國家破產(chǎn)。撒切爾被選舉出來和衰退斗爭并且在動蕩中和勞動組織處理重賦。

May will also have to deal with the global problem of terrorism, which has directly hit Britain in the past.

梅也將處理全球的恐怖主義問題。在過去，英國曾受到恐怖主義的重創(chuàng)。

Thatcher faced persistent terror problems and was targeted herself in a bombing in 1984. Thatcher was not hurt in the attack, which was claimed by the Irish Republican Army.

撒切爾面臨同樣的恐怖襲擊問題，并且在1984年曾被作為目標擊中。撒切爾在襲擊中并且受傷，這場恐怖襲擊是由愛爾蘭共和軍發(fā)起的。

Just weeks before she took office, Thatcher’s spokesman on Northern Ireland was killed in a car bombing as he drove out of a parking garage. The IRA claimed responsibility for that attack too.

在她就任幾周前，撒切爾北愛爾蘭的新聞發(fā)言人在他開出車庫時被殺害。IRA同樣為此次襲擊負責。

Both Thatcher and May started as cabinet ministers in Conservative governments before winning as prime minister. Thatcher served as education secretary under the government of Edward Heath.

撒切爾和梅在成為總理之前都是保守黨的內(nèi)閣大臣。撒切爾曾為教育部長。

In her six years as Home Secretary, May has been in charge of the country’s immigration, citizenship and national security. All of those areas were big issues during the campaigns of both sides during the Brexit debate.

在他六年的內(nèi)政大臣期間，梅負責移民，國籍和國家安全。在退歐辯論和雙邊競選期間這些問題都是大問題。

I’m Bryan Lynn.

布萊恩報道。