Germany's comeback: Worth the wait? EPC Commentary, 26 March 2018

Rappold, Julian (2018) Germany's comeback: Worth the wait? EPC Commentary, 26 March 2018. [Policy Paper]

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Abstract

During the six months of tedious negotiations to put a German coalition in place, governments across Europe, and France in particular, have been waiting impatiently for a push for European reform from Berlin. The new coalition agreement between the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the conservative Christian Democratic Party (CDU) and her Bavarian sister party CSU puts Europe high on the agenda, at least rhetorically. However, both domestic constraints and unbridgeable differences between France and Germany could derail the reform agenda. If Chancellor Merkel wants to go beyond a muddling-through approach she will have to invest a sizeable share of her political capital – domestically and at the European level. But is she ready to do so?

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