EU News: Olaf Scholz will make Emmanuel Macron an ally of EU and German prosperity after Merkel | World | News
Mr. Scholz, since taking the oath as Chancellor in early December, has made sure that a visit to the Elysee Palace is first on his agenda. He was greeted by Mr Macron in Paris just days after taking office, succeeding Angela Merkel for 16 years.
As Mr Scholz finds his rhythm as German Chancellor, an expert in the political economy of European integration and EU economic governance told Express.co.uk that Mr Scholz will prioritize the goals EU and German interests through closer ties with Mr Macron.
Professor Iain Begg of the London School of Economics and Political Science said Mr Scholz would seek to differentiate his coalition cabinet from the leadership of Merkel, seeking to “come across as a good European citizen”.
He added that the Chancellor will continue “alliances, in particular with Macron, on things like the deepening of the governance of the euro, that is to say a new round of the rescue plan put in place in Europe. end of 2020 “.
Professor Begg suggested that strengthening an EU budget so that it is always ready to respond to crisis situations within the bloc could be fostered through a Macron-Scholz partnership.
He said: “Macron wants that; Scholz seems to be sympathetic to this.
“I think you will see some resistance from his finance minister [Christian] Lindner, but it’s already enshrined in the coalition deal as something they want to pursue.
“It’s a bit of a ‘watch this space’ to see what’s really going on, because there has always been this reluctance in Germany to allow spending in other countries to depend on their taxpayers.
“It’s almost a red line for them, but there is a willingness to do it.
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Mr Scholz’s objectives with the bloc will be “to achieve the long-term European ambition”, according to Professor Begg, as the German leadership shifts from conservative to center-left.
He added: “I think we will see a renewal of Franco-German leadership, which has weakened over the past 10 or 15 years.
“It didn’t go very well when [Nicolas] Sarkozy was the French president, he fought a bit under François Hollande.
“It came back a bit under Macron, but still not that important.”
“And that counts for the dynamism of Europe, because it will push other European countries to support what the Germans and the French want.”
During the meeting of MM. Macron and Scholz in Paris in early December, the French president hailed a “convergence of views” with Mr. Scholz, even calling the new chancellor “dear Olaf” in what appeared to be the start of a closer relationship between the two . nations.
Mr. Macron praised “a desire to make our countries work together, and a firm and determined belief in Europe, which I already knew, which we will need in the months and years to come”.
Speaking to Mr Scholz at a press conference, Mr Macron said: “For the past four years I have worked with Angela Merkel on all of these topics.
“I know that we will continue together, dear Olaf, this close collaboration”.