Although the outcome of the French presidential election was met with relief in many parts of the EU, Macron’s re-election also underscores France’s strong leadership role.
“I believe that Macron has now emerged as the main voice, the legitimate voice of Europe, even if the result was relatively close,” Henning Woppel, director of the Center for European Policy (CEP) in Berlin, told EURACTIV.
France, which is taking a stronger lead in Europe, is being helped by many factors, according to Voppel.
Germany is reluctant
In particular, the German government’s hesitant stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine has significantly weakened Germany’s position in the EU. it also reduced its leadership capabilities.
“I think Germany must now be content to play the second, perhaps the third, role in Europe at best. “And that, of course, is partly due to the concern and hesitation of Chancellor Olaf Soltz.”
At the same time, the war also exposed the weaknesses of its policies in recent decades in Russia. This is a typical case of former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who is considered completely controlled by the Kremlin.
While France has always warned of excessive economic dependence on Russia – especially with regard to the construction of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline – Germany’s policy on Russia was based on trying to bring Russia closer to the West through closer economic integration. This approach has largely failed, given Russia’s aggressive war in Ukraine.
Germany “in the corner”
At the same time, Germany is also much more isolated than France in other areas. Macron, for example, has sought a close alliance with his Italian counterpart, Mario Draghi, to reform European debt rules.
“Especially in the face of the current crisis, Macron will try to work with Draghi to push for increased financial margins so that he can shoulder the necessary investments,” Boppel said.
Although Germany, in particular, is reluctant to support reform and relaxation of EU fiscal rules, the balance of power in Europe has shifted to rule reform, he added.
Germany’s position in the EU
However, Germany’s positions now coincide with Macron’s visions in many areas, most notably in the quest to strengthen European sovereignty.
While Macron’s calls for a sovereign Europe in his keynote address at the Sorbonne in 2017 went largely unanswered by the German government, the issue is now at the top of the agenda in Germany. Solz’s “Zeitenwende” is already deeply rooted in German speech and goes beyond the direct effects of the war in Ukraine.
Last Wednesday, for example, Finance Minister Christian Lindner called for a full strategic reversal of German policy.
“We are in triple danger. “We have become overly dependent on energy from Russia, security from the United States and trade with China,” Lindner told Focus Online. As a result, he said, Germany must now “rediscover its business model.”
German SPD MEP Udo Bülmann also stressed to EURACTIV that it was now necessary to strengthen European sovereignty.
What is needed now is “a European policy full of confidence, but also full of clear goals for peacekeeping, the international role of the European Union and a new economic and development model in the face of climate change,” Bullman said.
Meanwhile, the director of the CEP in Paris, Mark Uzan, also expressed his belief in Germany’s ability to change.
“Germany is at a turning point and I think Berlin will meet the challenge,” he told EURACTIV.
According to him, France could also play a key role for Germany in this political turmoil.
“Macron could be the bridge that will help Germany change its development model and perhaps its geopolitical model,” Uzan said.
euractiv.gr
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