FRANCO-GERMAN OPPORTUNITY & EUROPEAN UNION

Introduction

With Brexit in process, European Union got a highlight as to what fate it would meet. Everyone has different opinions. Moreover, there are a lot more things happening in the Euro zone. Amidst all this, France and Germany are in talks to come up as combined power to drive EU in all the fronts. Let us delve in this matter further, evaluate what is really happening, what are their leader’s viewpoints, and what could the whole world expect out of their talks.

This article, thus talks about the Franco-German Opportunity in European Union.

About Franco-German Opportunity

Recently Germany witnessed its chancellor elections. The results as expected made Angela Merkel the German Chancellor once again. It is now in talks that French President, Emmanuel Macron and Ms Merkel can get down to fixing the EU. The exiting of UK has disturbed EU and speculations are what would happen to the Euro-zone now, who will take on the powers and how things are going to balance.

But will domestic opposition prevent them from achieving the compromises that Europe needs? That’s a question that seems valid in this context. Anatole Kaletsky (Chief Economist and Co-Chairman of Gavekal Dragonomics), is convinced that now is the moment to address Europe’s core problems, because Merkel and other EU leaders can no longer afford to stand still. Philippe Legrain (British political economist and writer), agrees, arguing that Germany would be committing a monumental strategic blunder if it does not engage with Macron’s proposals for reform.

Macron’s perspective

With America’s president, Donald Trump, tempted by isolation and morally adrift, Britain in retreat and illiberal powers on the continent’s doorstep, Mr Macron sees this not only as Europe’s moment to reassert itself and its values as a guarantor of the democratic liberal order, but also as a place that secures decent lives for its people.

Mr Macron has met Ms Merkel nine times, more than twice as often as America’s and Italy’s leaders, and three times more than Russia’s and Britain’s. This reflects a return to the traditional European reflex of French presidents during the Fifth Republic. He twice took his election campaign to Germany. His finance minister is a fluent German-speaker. Whatever the question in Europe, the first answer for Mr Macron seems to be Germany.

It seems clear what he seeks from the “new deal”, he hopes to reach with his neighbour.

He senses an unusual—and probably brief—opportunity for Europe to fashion a stronger centre and stand up for itself in the world. He believes Germany has two choices for European Union, either to have a model with German hegemony which has high chances of creating imbalances in the euro zone, or the other, to participate with France in a new European leadership which rebalances Europe, with more solidarity and a project of stronger convergence.

But his focus on the Franco-German relationship risks side-lining the rest, whether old friends or newer members in eastern Europe. Also, he thinks that to keep a society open, it needs to be protected. This directly informs his vision of EU. Though, it is too early to form any opinions as of now, since in this world of diplomacy and diplomats, nothing remains forever!

Merkel’s perspective

Angela Merkel recently put brakes on the sweeping programme of European renewal presented to an EU summit by French President Emmanuel Macron as she suggested the European Union that Euro-zone reform should not be its top priority.

The German chancellor respected the vision that the young new French pioneer has set out for leaders. But, confronting long coalition talks in Berlin after she won a fourth term on a diminished vote, Merkel advised columnists it would take time to convince doubtful legislatures of the advantages of more profound ties among other priorities, for example, concurring another EU refuge strategy by the year’s end.

Her liberal accomplices are against Macron’s concept of a substantial common spending plan, dreadful of what they see as spendthrift habits in France and Europe’s south.

Macron said there had been an accord around his thoughts and those of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that the 27 remaining individuals from the Union should exploit this opportunity following quite a while of financial and political emergency to strengthen their collaboration as Britain leaves in 2019.

Fate of the EU agenda

The destiny of any EU agenda– whether Juncker’s or Macron’s rests with Merkel, who is probably not going to make any significant political moves. In fact, intense activity of the sort Juncker and Macron have proposed would not simply be unique for Merkel; it would likewise expect her to contribute every bit of her staying political capital. To participate in Macron’s European venture, she would need to accept a totally new role and open herself to considerable political risks.

Another issue is that neither Juncker nor Macron has offered much in the method for detail. The real outline of a future Eurozone spending plan and the sorts of consumption it would incorporate is still misty. Additionally, is the procedure for considering a Eurozone back finance minister responsible and guaranteeing his or her equitable authenticity. It is likewise, not obvious how much national power would be lost, for the sake of a shared monetary limit.

Given the above challenges wherein the German political focus has been heading in an unexpected way in comparison to Juncker and Macron, makes the Eurozone’s institutional design to remain likely incomplete.