Germany accepts its role as European political leader

The speech which was to inaugurate a new stage in Germany’s relations with the rest of the world has met its litmus test ahead of schedule. “For six decades we have lived in peace with our neighbors. We can already trust us. It’s time we take more determined steps to preserve order and values; that instead of running away from the challenges we face them,” said the head of state, Joachim Gauck, last January in Munich.

His speech, which drew criticism and praise from well – lit presentation served as a country he had learned from past mistakes. Germany finally shed could be claimed as as the undisputed European leader. And that means taking a leading role also in foreign policy. Four months have passed since the events in Berlin and it is still to be determined that whether Gauck announced a change of era to prevent civil war in Ukraine or simply say a few nice words.

Nobody doubts that Germany has exercised, and as such, the economic superpower of the continent. The government of Chancellor Angela Merkel takes years to prescribe to patients in Europe bitter medicine that they must swallow like it or not. Berlin felt comfortable in his role as an economic giant and political dwarf, but the force of events has made him take an increasing role in foreign policy. The lukewarm response of the EU to Russia in the Ukrainian crisis shows that Berlin takes the wheel.

“The financial crisis first, and now Ukraine oblige Germany to become a real power,” summarizes the sociologist Ulrich Beck, author of the essay A German Europe. The question is knowing how Berlin is ready to take his majority as a regional power.

The new foreign policy announced by Minister Frank -Walter Steinmeier was born as opposed to the previous four years in which their predecessor, the liberal Guido Westerwelle, had adopted containment as leitmotif. The high point of this era crystallized in 2011 with the Security Council of the UN resolution on Libya, in which Germany abstained, aligning with countries like Russia or China.” That attitude is no longer useful. We have learned that we can not isolate ourselves. If our neighbors do poorly, we can not maintain our prosperity,” says Niels Annen, responsible for Foreign Affairs of the Social Democratic parliamentary group.

Berlin has taken historical ties to exercise the vested power. “Our recipe for Ukraine is to combine sanctions with dialogue. We get involved more, but not as U.S. would . Nobody thinks of a military escalation. This is not an excuse for not participating is that we truly believe is the best solution,”continues the SPD deputy.

Some analysts, however, consider this speech unconvincing. Among other reasons, because it is not accompanied by a substantial increase in funding for military activities, intelligence or development aid sectors in which France and the UK continue to spend a greater proportion of resources.

“The fact of the matter is if you are willing to guarantee security to a continent where the U.S. is becoming less interested. And then the answer is no,”said Simon Tilford, deputy director of the Center for European Reform, a think -tank British and still European. “The new foreign policy speeches to the elites that the majority of the population neither understands nor cares. Are empty words,” Ulrich Deupmann shoots journalist in the first Grand Coalition speechwriter Minister Steinmeier.

The challenge faced by Berlin is not only in foreign policy. His handling of the financial crisis has prevented the breakup of the euro, but the path has left a trail of victims as unemployed.” Germany must learn to give up some short-term goal because long interested end this crisis. If you want to be leaders, leadership must exert beneficial not only serve its own interests, “says Simon Tilford.

The German leadership in Europe is caused, among other reasons, because there are no alternatives. Immersed in economic uncertainty France; UK one of your future relationship with the EU is not only unknown but even that will be a part of its territory as Scotland; an Italy of anemic growth and usual political lurch; and Spain whose main concern was until recently avert disaster, not competition.

Berlin who is responsible for deciding what type of leadership exercised. It has been two and a half years since the Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski spoke these words – “I fear German power less than I am beginning to fear its inactivity ” – repeated many times. “That message was effective. We will not fall into passivity,”said Rep. Annen.  “We’re going slowly, but an attitude of not changing with a speech.”

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Posted by Khalil Khan on May 14 2014. Filed under Europe. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.