‘Time to take sides’: post-Merkel era needs radical new direction, says study

The Guardian ^ | 14 September 2021 | Jon Henley Europe correspondent

[blueplum]

After 15 years of “Merkelism” the German chancellor’s neutral, consensus-building approach means many Europeans accept her country as the EU’s leader – but post-Angela Merkel Berlin will have to radically change tack, according to a study....

...Even countries with very different policies, such as Spain (45%) and non-eurozone Hungary (50%), backed German economic leadership...Support for Berlin as a potential geopolitical leader, however, was markedly low. Only 25% of respondents felt Germany should handle the EU’s relationship with the US, for example, with support for Berlin taking the lead in the bloc’s dealings with Russia (20%) and China (17%) even lower.

The report revealed a disconnect...

[blueplum]

The EU has been lazy finding it easier to capitulate to Merkel than take a different path, but looks like a leader is going to have to shake out somewhere other than Germany.

[No_Mas_Obama]

Since it’s unlikely the EU Deep State will allow Orban or another Central European leader to take the reigns - it means there will be NO leadership just like in the US. Another win for CCP and Russia.

[pierrem15]

"The authors said the survey showed that to maintain the reputation and trust it has built up under Merkel’s leadership, Germany must radically rethink its EU policies, going beyond Merkelism to confront member states such as Poland and Hungary that are accused of violating the bloc’s values."

I take the authors (not the Germans) want Germany to go after Poland. They must be dumber than a bag of hammers, because 90% of Poles would back the current government than give an inch to the Germans.

[pepsionice]

The EU as a whole....has continually (for 15 years) tried to read a Merkel-script to ‘act upon’. So far, nothing has been absolutely/universally agreed upon (one of the weaker points of the EU design).

As Merkel exits, the replacement Chancellor (Scholz), isn’t the type to get a lot of respect, and there are at least two scandals brewing over his management of the Finance Ministry. Don’t go expecting much.

[Olog-hai]

Bad time for the Sozis to get back in.

[sauropod]

bkmk

[pepsionice]

That WireCard scandal is seriously brewing. He had to know some things about it.