I was not aware that the coalition agreement of the (expected) new German government was so pro-European (see this article). The pro-Europeans, like the French, will like that. The Schäuble-supporters will despise it for reasons which the author explains in the article. In any event, if all of this comes through, it will take winds out of the sails of those who always blame Germany for wanting to dominate Europe on its own terms and with only its interests in mind.
"It is not only legitimate, but also the duty of French President Emmanuel Macron to pursue French interests and see to it that the French economic model prevails in Europe. What is to be deplored is that the German government is evidently abandoning the formulation and pursuit of German interests. That is not only politically stupid, but will actually also deepen the crisis of the European Union. Especially in the face of Brexit, the logical goal of German policymaking in Europe should be to counter French central planning with Germany’s well-proven, market-liberal policies in the tradition of Ludwig Erhard. To keep Europe prosperous and united, competition in the Single Market needs to be strengthened and the operations of the ECB refocused on the provision of sound money."
"It is not only legitimate, but also the duty of French President Emmanuel Macron to pursue French interests and see to it that the French economic model prevails in Europe. What is to be deplored is that the German government is evidently abandoning the formulation and pursuit of German interests. That is not only politically stupid, but will actually also deepen the crisis of the European Union. Especially in the face of Brexit, the logical goal of German policymaking in Europe should be to counter French central planning with Germany’s well-proven, market-liberal policies in the tradition of Ludwig Erhard. To keep Europe prosperous and united, competition in the Single Market needs to be strengthened and the operations of the ECB refocused on the provision of sound money."
Nichts wird so heiss gegessen wie es gekocht wird.
ReplyDeleteEs sei denn, Sie sind Deutschland. In diesem Fall sind die Dinge viel schlimmer, als Sie sich vorstellen können.
DeleteToo little, too late. Germany is no longer a consequential country. It's the summation of its self-serving and uber destructive trade policies which destabilize the world and make Germany the NUMERO UNO enemy of the free world.
ReplyDeleteThe author assumes a few things I am not so sure about. That Germany will get a grand coalition is not yet sure, it seems less sure day by day. That Merkel and Peter Altmeyer, as a possible future minister of economy, should be given the leeway from their voters to carry through that sort of policy, is out of the question. Even an SPD finance minister would be loath to present his voters for that. AfD and partly FPD would have a field day, and CSU would go full on the brakes and in reverse gear.
ReplyDeleteThe German voters I know are well aware that France doesn't want a political union, but a fiscal one.
Lennard.
That's a fine piece of German victim-mentality, unequaled in the whole of Europe!
ReplyDelete