Germany and Europe: the pull of unity - by John Palmer
After two years of drift the European Union's core project may soon take a qualitative leap forward, says John Palmer. The momentum behind closer European integration may have weakened but the creation and development of transnational economic and political communities is becoming very much the fashion in many parts of the world.
he frustration of those who want to see the EU equipped with the elementary capacity to run a twenty-seven strong national economic and political union has been exacerbated by the knowledge that these votes were overwhelmingly a rejection of national governments and policies rather than rejection of moves to make the EU better able to deal with the new global challenges of climate change, energy and security. Opinion polls continue to show that - faced with major international issues such as peace, stability, security and sustainable development - Europeans want "more Europe", not less.
A great deal of what the German government can do will depend on the outcome of the French presidential election in April-May 2007, weeks before the pivotal June summit and the passing of the EU presidency from Germany to Portugal. The hope is that the new French president will be ready to negotiate a pragmatic but ambitious treaty with the goal of an agreement under Portuguese tutelage by the end of the year. There are some signs that both Nicolas Sarkozy and Ségolène Royal - whatever their other differences - want to see an end to the paralysis which has gripped the EU. With luck this might enable a new treaty to come into force in time for the next European parliament elections in June 2009 and the appointment of a new five-year commission.
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