Merkel’s political union « Behind the Scenes

Merkel’s political union

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is not one for high emotions. Public speeches are calm and measured. During debates in the Bundestag, she drives home points using repetition rather than rhetorical flourish. Her press conferences at the increasingly regular summits in Brussels are renowned for being low-key affairs. Bad or good news is delivered in the same tone of voice. For colour and indiscretion, journalists go next door to the French briefing room.

Merkel is de facto in charge of the running the eurozone. She is criticised on substance. But her style of delivery has not helped. Many see it as prescriptive and lacking in passion. To her critics, she has – particularly at the onset of the crisis – missed occasions to say why the eurozone is worth saving, how Germans benefit from it and what Germans will lose if it all collapses.

Part of this reticence is due to personality, part due to the fact that she is mindful of the restive parliament and constitutional court behind her. (These last considerations have been directly responsible for the fiscal compact, cementing the German fiscal view of the world into one little unloved and not very useful intergovernmental pact).

Criticism about enshrining fiscal and monetary rigour into the fiscal pact has increased lately. Opponents point to duplication with current or in-the-pipeline laws and, more importantly, say the focus on balanced budgets could prolong the economic crisis.

In any case, the latent resentment over Germany’s fiscal union has obscured Merkel’s other plan for Europe – the political union.

In an interview with five newspapers published on Wednesday, Merkel – in typical understated way – outlines her vision for the future.

The Guardian reports her as saying:

“My vision is one of political union because Europe needs to forge its own unique path. We need to become incrementally closer and closer, in all policy areas. Over a long process, we will transfer more powers to the [European] Commission, which will then handle what falls within the European remit like a government of Europe. That will require a strong parliament.”

A kind of second chamber, if you like, will be the council comprising the heads of [national] government. And finally, the supreme court will be the European court of justice. That could be what Europe’s political union looks like in the future – some time in the future, as I say, and after a goodly number of interim stages.”

She made similar but less defined remarks in front of German parliament following the summit of EU leaders in December noting that “this common sense of responsibility will remain with us far beyond the crisis.”

“Some time in the future” is pure Merkelese – she spent much of last year reminding eurozone watchers – the entire globe these days – that a solution will not appear overnight but only in many year. Nevertheless it is a remarkably bold vision for Europe. It is also remarkably different to current thinking in France. And, of course, Britain. Which will lead to the “goodly number of interim stages” she refers to.

This entry was posted on January 25, 2012, 4:28 pm and is filed under EU. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

#1 by Uli Speck on January 25, 2012 - 7:41 pm

Well, that sounds bold. But if you follow Merkel closely, you will understand that there is no strategy. Only tactics. Merkel is under enormous pressure to find a solution for the euro crisis without making Germans pay for it. The only way to square the circle is to make bold promises for the future. But that doesn’t mean anything. In pratice, Merkel is weakening the Commisison, and the “fiscal union” she promised will be not more than a stability pact 2.0, just more of the same. Bottom line: we’ll see a lot more of muddling through, a bigger role for the ECB, and certainly not a closer union pushed forward by Germany.

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#2 by Oscar Spooner on January 25, 2012 - 7:59 pm

Merkel is a level-headed politician who makes a lot of sense – similar to Obama. These are leaders who are able to sees flaws in their own policies and then try to improve them.
Of course, this results in a lot of criticism from all quarters. Merkel is accused of reticence, while Germany is criticized for throwing its weight around. There is a difference between style and substance.
I actually think Merkel has quite a good sense of humour – just look at some of her wacky facial expressions in press photos!

#3 by Spyro on January 25, 2012 - 10:24 pm

The process of true integration would take some 10 years once it is decided, and that would supposedly be the easy part. The real dialogue of how, which would require just as many years if not more, has not even started. It’s the blue elephant in the room that “yeah sure of course we all aim to end up there some day” but no one dares to talk about making the first steps. Fr. Merkel had many, many opportunities to start this dialogue but she just didn’t do it, so her “I have a dream” moment here is, sadly, irrelevant to the European realities.

Right now as it stands the Euroland periphery braces for a handful of down and out years, which could potentially drag on for more all while the core is in an entirely different financial world. The woes of the periphery stuck in these inflexible arrangements will only stop the day a sort of transfer union is instituted, so that EU wealth (wealth projection?) is somewhat more fairly distributed.

But as long as these processes stall so much in the end even the sacrosanct common market has to be questioned. For the countries without heavy industry or capacity thereof, ie the entire euro-periphery, it is more or less a colonial concession to Germany. I am not sure for how long the people of the periphery will put up with this unjust enrichment of the blue banana that is going on right on, while they writhe and suffer in austerity (plus devaluation for the non-Euro users).

The saddest thing of them all of course being that, as you pointed out, there has been little communication of the immense benefits to Germany and generally to the European core (et tu Dutchman) that these arrangements have brought. Had an honest dialogue been made it would have been easier to give the ‘bad’ countries some reprieve. Of course not for the states themselves, but for the fellow European Citizens who live there. They’re people too.

#4 by Marcel on January 26, 2012 - 1:43 am

I see that you can take Merkel out of the East Germany, but you cannot take the East German (politics) out or Merkel.

@Spyro, maybe you should talk to lower middle class and lower income people in Germany or the Netherlands. They have never profited from either the undemocratic Eurosoviet Union or the wealth-destroying Euro. The solution to this socalled ‘crisis’ is to disband one of the major causes: the wealth destroying Euro and the ‘ever more centralization of power and gleichschaltung of laws’ Eurosoviet Union itself.

Centralization of power is bad (think 20th century Berlin, Moscow), not good. No matter how many times the old Soviet parliament got elected, it was never democratic (hint: lack of demos, same for EU).

The elites, the rich and the bankers and people who generally dislike democracy may have a ‘dream’, but we the peoples think its a nightmare. Where are our referendums?

#5 by Another on January 26, 2012 - 10:44 am

There are People who think that a good way to allow the Majority Albanian Areas in South Kosovo to be represented in regional forums, is under the name of Serbia’s Territory Of South Kosovo, or STOSK, and that a United Nations Security Council Resolution be made for this after both Parties agree.

It is very important that the words Serbia’s Territory, and not Serbian Territory is used, because Serbia is a Country, and Serbian is a Race, and so there must be no Racism implied in the name.

The terms Serbia and Serbia’s need to be defined several times as the English way of saying the recognized United Nations Country with Belgrade as its Capital, and Kosovo as its Province as United Nation Security Council Resolution 1244 says.

North Kosovo should not be included in this matter, because they and other Serbian Majority Areas will be represented by Serbia.

There needs to be a negotiated agreement to agree on the Reality on the Ground as of December 31 2011, on where those Majority Albanian Areas in South Kosovo are, and where the Majority Serbian Areas in South Kosovo are, and that should be fixed, unless otherwise mutual agreed to in the future.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 allows for hundreds but not thousands of Serbian police and soldiers to return to Kosovo.

We know that the minimum for thousands in 2,000, and that hundreds can be 19.99 hundreds, and so that means that 1,999 Serbian police and soldiers can enter any part of Kosovo to see to it that a Referendum in Northern Kosovo can be delayed for a while, as North Kosovo should directly join Serbian Administration, and not the Evil Racist Criminals in Pristina.

All of South Kosovo will continue to be Serbian Territory, but the Majority Albanian Territories in South Kosovo can be represented as STOSK.

I think that any STOSK Official in any forum should have a Serbian Official for Provincial Affairs be present, so that the World will know that Kosovo belongs to all the People and all the Races of Serbia, and its Province of Kosovo.

The so called International Community and the Kosovo Terrorist Government in Pristina, say that only a few criminals in North Kosovo object to being brutalized and murdered and driven from their homes and land, and they say that a Referendum is not necessary.

Then there are the Bribed Vichy Serbian Politicians in Belgrade who Desperately and Greedily Crave the promise of the European Union Gravy Train with its Mega Millions of Dollars, who say that the Referendum Result is known, and that it should not proceed.

If the Referendum Result is certain, then that would mean that the Serbian Quisling Government should tell EULEX to sign an agreement to leave North Kosovo.

Many Non-Biased and Non-Bribed Legal Academics say that the Kumanovo Agreement is Illegal under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, and that it is Illegal under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, and therefore the Illegal Kumanovo Agreement that was signed under American Duress should be scraped.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 allows for hundreds but not thousands to return to Kosovo, and that that means 1,999 Serbian police and soldiers can see to it that a Referendum in Northern Kosovo can be delayed for a while.

Serbia has as President and it has as a Government, a Person and Parliamentarians who are a Disgrace to the Human Race, because they should tell America and all the other European Union Liars that they will not tolerate any more lies against the Serbian People who all informed People of the World know that are the Most Innocent of any Race in the former Yugoslavia.

The Albanians of Kosovo have been scheming to steal Kosovo since the 1878 Prizren Declaration, and the Americans, the Germans, and the Albanians of Kosovo only regret will be that they did not killed more People if they cannot achieve Independence which will be one of the truest ever Euphemisms for Land Theft.

Germany does not want Referendums in Europe, because Hitler never did believe in Referendums for the Sub Humans of Europe, and the People of North Kosovo can print the forms using A4 computer paper, with the Question, and the YES or NO answer, unless the Kumanovo Agreement, and STOSK are agreed to, along with 1,999 Serbian police and soldiers to enter any part of Kosovo to see to it that a Referendum in Northern Kosovo can be delayed for a while.

Serbia has a real advantage here because Germany is desperate to build its Fourth Reich, and Elections and Referendums are not part of the Fourth Reich Scheme.

If Europe had rejected the Lisbon Treaty, then Germany could not have schemed to create the Euro Crisis and the Financial Crisis in order to have another Treaty that Establishes the Fourth Reich.

I hope that Russia insists that Every European Citizen And Every American Citizen Must firstly Be Thoroughly Saturated, and then Thoroughly Oversaturated, and then Thoroughly Oversaturated With The True Knowledge Of Albanians And Kosovo, and the Kosovo Albanians will have to Confess these things Over and Over and Over, before Russia will allow South Kosovo to become a Country.

It Could Be that after European and American have the true knowledge, that Economic Genocide for all the Albanians in Albania, FYROM, Greece, Montenegro, and Serbia, along with the Albanians of Kosovo will be that Price that this Criminal Project costs the Albanians.

SOPA stands for Stop Overseas Piracy by America, and the People of North Kosovo should hold their Democratic Life Saving Referendum, because it is their Democratic Right, and it will reverse the Fourth Reich in Europe.

#6 by wailos on January 29, 2012 - 7:12 pm

I think that The terms Serbia and Serbia’s need to be defined several times as the English way of saying the recognized United Nations Country with Belgrade as its Capital, and Kosovo as its Province as United Nation Security Council Resolution

#7 by Janusz on January 30, 2012 - 11:07 am

I often ask myself whether those people who scornfully dismissed the warnings that the EUSSR was all about political unification see the situation for what it acually is now? There it is; Merkel has stated it openly though ten years ago every politician would have denied it and laughed in your face. Up to now now it’s been a war of propaganda and obfuscation. Later some flashpoint or other will turn it into a war of bullets and blades. Those who wouldn’t listen in the past should take heed of this new warning. Tyranny never fails to sow the seeds of its own destruction.

#8 by Wim Roffel on January 30, 2012 - 12:15 pm

Merkel’s behavior strikes me as that of a politician who has ruled too long and has grown tired of all those annoying little people who keep making problems. Politicians at that stage tend to retire to the international arena where they can deal with other politicians of international stature – the only people whom they still deem their equals. For democracy is no more place at this stage.

#9 by Janusz on January 30, 2012 - 2:10 pm

…and Merkel is to campaign for Sarkozy? Since when [1] has it been OK for a foreign power to meddle with another sovereign country’s internal politics? Oh yes, I remember – since Germany funded Lenin’s road to power.

[1] Yes I know it happens all the time but it isn’t usual for anyone to admit to it unless it’s glaringly obvious as an act of war!!!

#10 by Marcel on February 1, 2012 - 11:18 pm

@8
Politicians being ‘tired of all those annoying little people’ is precisely the reason for political integration in the Eurosoviet Union. While they cannot overtly abolish democracy (yet), they are quite busy hollowing it out and transfer ever more powers to the Eurosoviet center.

@9
I’d say, see my remarks at @8. The idea is that elections should not matter anymore, as the Eurosoviet crowd will increasingly make the decisions without asking ‘the people’. As I said, see @8.

#11 by Bastian on February 3, 2012 - 5:07 pm

@Spyro,eu
I live in the „blue banana“ but don’t notice any enrichment. Nor do I see enrichment around me. The € in ist current design is as bad for the „blue banana“ as it is fort the periphery of the EU, it just hits at different times. For example, in the first years of this currency, up to 2005, Germany was the clear loser, it was even called the „sick man“ oft he EU. German capital left the country for investing in the peripheries. The ECB interest rate was too high for Germany and too low for Spain, Greece, Portugal etc. The Spanish population, for example, indebted itself to an irresponsible extent, as for them interest rates were lower than inflation. Fort the Germans it was the opposite. In this situation the Socialist/Green government (Schroeder/Fischer) imposed austerity policy on the Germans (2003), whereas the people in Greece, Italy, Spain; Ireland and Portugal lived in an unprecedented prosperity (remember the Olympic Games 2004 in Athens). At the same time Germany fell back in the GDP/Capita ranking. So, those who speak of „transfer union“ should recognice that this already exists. The €uro functioned from ist beginning as an instrument for redestributing wealth from bottom to top inside each individual country and at the same time from the more productive countries (NL, D, A, FIN etc.) to the less productive (GR, IT, ES etc.). It redistributes much more than the EU cohesion funds. The €uro in ist current form is unjust and destructive. It endangers the whole EU project. It must get rid of ist ideological component to become a success. The solution is probably a devision into a Northern and Southern currency union. Merkel’s dream of a centralized EU is as unrealistic as the dream of a „class less society“ society in the bygone Soviet Union. If Europe is prosperous the due to ist industrious nations, not due to any super structure like the EU.

#12 by Misha Krasnotsvetov on February 6, 2012 - 10:53 pm

Merkel is trying to find stability to the EURO problem, but she does not want that Germany to pay their dues. In my opinion this like getting out of quicksand. Many tactics, fast movements and eventually wrong decisions that drown the EURO and the EU-zone with it. Not only Merkel to blame many others. Maybe we need fresh blood ( in a good way ) to address the problem with a new strategy.

#13 by casas de madera on April 23, 2012 - 4:33 pm

Agree. I think that The terms Serbia and Serbia’s need to be defined several times as the English way of saying the recognized United Nations Country with Belgrade as its Capital, and Kosovo as its Province as United Nation Security Council Resolution