The Stakes are High
Angela Merkel’s slow and deliberate approach to issues important to Washington has impeded a transatlantic kick-start. The Biden administration hopes her successor will give the relationship new momentum.
Great Expectations (I): Time for a Südpolitik. A View from Spain
Many in Madrid hope that a post-Merkel government will accept that a monetary union is impossible without a fiscal union. In this and other areas, paying more attention to Spain would be a chance to advance the EU.
In Search of the Next Partner
French President Emmanuel Macron has banked on Franco-German cooperation, an approach that finally proved successful in 2020. With Angela Merkel leaving the scene, he needs to build bridges to her potential successors, and quickly.
Great Expectations (II): Clearing the Air. A View from Poland
Germany’s approach to relations with Poland in recent years has been characterized by caution. A new government in Berlin that includes the Greens could shake things up, ultimately for the better.
Super Mario
With the former ECB President Mario Draghi at the helm, Italy is finally making a comeback as a major European player.
The Crisis Manager Departs
Angela Merkel had the advantage that during her 16 years at the helm, Germany was spared the economic and political upheaval many of its neighbors experienced, making her brokering EU leadership possible. Her successors may not be so lucky.
The Fragility of Europe’s China Strategy
In its dealings with Beijing, the United States has turned to classic grand strategy with the aim of safeguarding its primacy. In contrast, the EU has been pursuing a less consistent, but much more suitable multi-track approach. China’s latest actions may push the Europeans to full alignments with the US—which would be both momentous and dangerous.
A Common Front on China? A View from the United States
A robust transatlantic agenda on China is required not in spite of, but because of the complex interdependencies that exist between the West and Beijing.
Beijing’s Foreign Policy Priorities
China seeks to cement a multi-polar world order in which no other state can “interfere” with what it sees as “internal affairs.” Such a world would be incompatible with the EU’s values and political identity.