This is why elections in Germany are so important to Europe.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s strategy has been that a united Europe is good for Germany. It brokered, brokered, and held the countries of the European Union together at the same time that the historical fear of neighboring countries of excessive German domination waned.

Now it will be replaced by a new one. What do elections mean for Europe?

– This is very important because Germany is the largest and most powerful member state of the European Cooperation in economic terms. This role has been reinforced in recent years. Partly through the expansion of new member states, and partly through Brexit when the UK vanished, says Goran von Sydow, head of the Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies, Sipes.

However, Germany is not one of the countries that usually pays for cooperation. Ideas for change rarely come from Berlin. But on many issues, Germany is close to the political center. It makes it easier to build alliances.

Germany has a major role when it comes to shooting. If you want to find a solution to a problem, Germany is often asked to get involved and ensure that it becomes a reality, says Goran von Sydow.

The most important issue in the elections It is the climate. This summer, the European Commission presented a series of proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to make Europe climate neutral by 2050. Regardless of which group takes power, the Greens will be included. The party is by far the third largest in opinion polls with 16 percent.

– With the Green Party in government, it would be easier to get a hearing in Germany for the commission’s proposal. At the same time, he realizes that there are certain tensions also in German politics about how much should be done, at what costs and how much attention should be given to economic interests, says Goran von Sydow.

More problematic are the economic issues. Should Germany and the EU go back to the old fiscal rules, or will there be more joint borrowing?

– In the event that the Social Democrats and the Greens form a government themselves, which they probably won’t, there will be less sharp and greater support for the economic policy ideas of Macron and France.

Be German liberals Part of the government, instead will become more disciplined.

The liberals support a strict fiscal stance. You won’t really go back to the old style, but the question is where you’ll end up somewhere, says von Sydow.

European Union and international issues are seldom mentioned in the debate over German elections.

When it comes to foreign policy, researcher Sophia Besch, at the Center for European Reform Research, believes the new government will have a more critical approach to China. This is regardless of who becomes the counselor. Developments around COVID-19, Hong Kong and the Uyghurs are leaving their mark.

Angela Merkel held a German session shaped by economic interests and the hope that a progressively richer China would turn into a liberal democracy. This view has changed, even within Christian Democrats. In addition, many in Berlin realized how difficult it would be for Biden to push for a coordinated strategy with Europe toward China, he says Sophia Beach 1 and podd from the center of thought.

remember itself Objection to reasoning: There are strong economic interests that align well with the regime in Beijing. China has overtaken the United States and is now Germany’s largest trading partner.

Ultimately, Sophia Besch asserts that Germany prioritizes the transatlantic link and the United States is putting great pressure on China.

Since trade policy is an EU issue, this likely means, for example, that the EU-China investment agreement, launched by Angela Merkel at the end of 2020, can be buried for a long time to come.

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