German Chancellor Angela Merkel interviewed World, with other newspapers in the Europa network. She defends the recovery plan, currently being negotiated, between the 27 and returns to the intentions of her government, while her country takes the 1is July and for six months, the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU).
The German presidency of the EU takes place in an unprecedented moment of crisis. The expectations are enormous. Berlin should fix everything. Are you nervous?
My first presidency of the Council as chancellor was in 2007. The European constitutional treaty had failed in France and in the Netherlands [en 2005], and we were in the process of developing a new treaty. We did it [avec le traité de Lisbonne, signé en 2007 et entré en vigueur deux ans plus tard].
Then there was the international financial crisis, the turmoil of the euro and the refugee issue: there were therefore always moments of tension. And on many occasions, we have seen that Europe was not yet sufficiently resistant to crises. During that of the euro, we did not have the tools to react adequately. During the refugee movements in 2015, the shortcomings of the European asylum system were revealed.
Today, the Covid-19 pandemic presents us with an unprecedented challenge. She fell on everyone without anyone being responsible for it. It has brought us violently out of positive economic development in all EU member states. In addition, it is in addition to the two major disruptive phenomena of our time, climate change and digital transformation, which are already turning our lives and our economy upside down. I am very attentive to all these questions.
With so many simultaneous crises, is the survival of the EU at stake?
We should avoid asking the question of the existence of the EU too often, and rather do our job. It is in the vital interest of all Member States to maintain a strong European single market and to present a united front on the international scene. I am banking on the fact that, in such an exceptional situation, the Member States have a marked interest in concentrating on commonalities.
The crisis is not only affecting Europe. The whole world is fighting against the pandemic and against political demons …
Exactly, and it is true that the tone is rough internationally at the moment. After the 2008 financial crisis, the time for multilateralism has come. At that time, the G20 of heads of state and government was launched, and the states were very united in their response. This is not currently the case.
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