A vital question

At the start of the year Germany assumed the revolving Presidency of the European Council, while yesterday, 16th, the German Hans-Gert Poettering was appointed president of the European Parlament. Great hopes have been invested in the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and her government. The member states of the European Union hope that the Germans will succeed in reviving the process of integration that suffered an impasse after the rejection of the European Constitution in the referenda held in France and Holland. On what foundations do these hopes rest? They certainly have not been fuelled by Germany – quite the reverse. In the period that preceded the beginning of the German Presidency, German political exponents tried to downplay these hopes, to point out the objective difficulties of the situation, and to underline that no Presidency has the resources and means at its disposal to overcome such a situation of stalemate, without the contribution of all the other member states. This explains the choice of the motto: “Europe shall win only if she be united”. The hopes invested in Angela Merkel are based on two main reasons. First, the German Chancellor has demonstrated her leadership skills ever since her first participation in a European summit. In December 2005, when European leaders were discussing the financial perspectives down to the year 2013, Merkel succeeded, in a very complex situation, to broker an agreement between the parties, even though it was not she who held the Presidency but Tony Blair, who showed in that situation that he did not have the reins of the situation in his hands. This success is attributable to the fact that Merkel was not interested in cultivating her own vanity or satisfying her desire for personal prestige. She simply sought the best possible solution in that particular situation, even if at the cost of renouncing her own interests. Careful preparation, an exhaustive study of the problems, a consciousness of the interests and needs of the other parties, an analysis of the hoped-for solutions and an evaluation of alternative solutions are also necessary premises for such a result.Second, Angela Merkel is not only the President of the European Council, but also Chancellor of Germany, the largest member state of the European Union, which for this reason has de facto assumed a leading role within the European Union, even if Berlin does not openly boast of this. This leading role is still more evident at the present time, since both France and Great Britain – the two countries that in the past have claimed for themselves a similar role – seem paralysed due to the forthcoming political elections that will lead to a change of guard in government. Will this paralysis of British and French policy favour or hamper agreement on fundamental decisions? Both scenarios are possible. It will be the task of the German Presidency to identify the common elements thanks to which it will be possible to present proposals acceptable to everyone. That goes especially for the draft Constitutional Treaty of Europe. What must be done, and what can be done, to revive it in the political agenda and to abbreviate the process towards its ratification? This is a question of vital importance, because Europe without a new Constitution would remain paralyzed. This will be the terrain on which Angela Merkel’s capacities for leadership will be tested. The German Chancellor has some ideas which wisely she is holding close to her chest and not revealing before she is sure they will meet with the agreement of the other members of the EU, probably only towards the end of the German Presidency, i.e. in June. An important stage towards this goal will be the Declaration that Mrs. Merkel will present to the heads of state and of government on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome.Of course, there exist many other issues and projects that will have to be developed in the interest of the EU and its members: energy supplies, climate change, deregulation and immigration policy, just to cite a few. There are also the international crises, to which the EU ought to lend its assistance and offer its mediation. In short, the German Chancellor and the government of the Grand Coalition of Christian-Democrats and Social-Democrats still have a long way to go. Just as well that wide consensus between the government parties exists, at least on international and European questions.