While waiting to know what the government formula will finally be in Germany, probably the most relevant fact of the German elections this Sunday is not the rupture of the bipartisanship with the consequent increase in instability, but the political withdrawal of Angela Merkel. The promoter and architect of the Lisbon Treaty, which represented the re-founding of a European Union that has practically played no role in the campaign of any of the candidates, and that faces, once again, a crossroads of uncertainties about its reorganization and Her future.
At a time when Europe faces transcendental issues for its survival such as economic recovery, the future of reconstruction funds, the challenge of facing a new geopolitics after the withdrawal from Afghanistan with the consequent terrorist threat, the uncertainties derived from the appearance of Aukus (the union of forces of the United States, United Kingdom and Australia) that increases the need to advance in a community defense system, the migration problem, the energy crisis, the consequences of post-Brexit and the obligation to advance in a political unification and legislative that avoids, among other things, the disparate interpretations about the Euroorder, the Union appears to lack leaders with the capacity to inspire and leadership.
Neither Scholz, nor Laschet, nor Macron, nor Van der Leyen, measure up. Sánchez doesn’t count. Only Draghi appears as the great white hope. The man who since the presidency of the ECB worked closely with Angela to overcome the financial crisis of 2008-2012 and like her, a convinced Europeanist. A Mario Draghi who is cementing Italy’s recovery on solid foundations, without ideological sectarianism, and who is setting the path to follow for the rest of the Union with his announcement of tax reform not to raise taxes, but to lower them because “this is the moment to give and not to take money from citizens “, in addition to the temporary suppression of fixed charges to mitigate the rise in the electricity bill in the rate.
Converted into a natural leader of Europe and a tireless negotiator, Merkel has also been a great friend and ally of Spain, something that does not seem so clear in her possible successors, especially in her proposals on the Stability Pact. Both Olaf Scholz and Armin Laschet have been characterized by their ambiguity on this point, but the possible coalition partners, green or liberal, like the majority of German society are more aligned with the so-called “hawks” than, with Holland and Austria at the head, they are pressing to regain control of the deficit and debt, conditioning the sending of money from the reconstruction fund to these objectives. And Spain will be one of the most affected countries.
Remember that Scholz has repeatedly expressed himself in favor of a modification of the European regulations of the Stability Pact regarding the debt of the member countries and is a firm defender of the control of spending on public money. And it also has its hands tied to carry out its Future Program, a plan for EU member states to make contributions to a common fund to pay unemployment assistance for countries with the greatest economic difficulties. Neither the conservatives of the CDU, nor the liberals nor the greens are in favor of the project and the German press has already wondered if the Germans are going to have to pay the Greek and Spanish unemployment, gathering the feelings of their citizens.
That is why, in this scenario of challenges and uncertainties that loom over a Europe whose real union seems to never begin, it is obligatory to pay tribute to the exceptional figure of Angela Merkel and show our most sincere appreciation for her immense contribution to global stability and its undeniable leadership in a Europe that without it remains orphaned and weakened by the populisms of the left and right who want to destroy it from within and in the face of the ambitions of the United States, China and Russia who intend to demolish it from the outside with the invaluable collaboration of Boris Johnson in the United Kingdom.
