The German Federal Election and the Future of Europe and the Euroozone

On 22 September the German voters will decide on the future of their country, but not only. The German election campaign has been closely watched in the rest of Europe, especially in the south. Politicians, journalists and citizens in the southern member states of the eurozone, most of all in Greece, have been following the German election campaign with great interest and a mixture of hope and worry. Will Merkel’s governing coalition remain in power and continue to push its tough austerity agenda in the eurozone? Or will there be a changing of the guard with a prospect of slightly more breathing space for the crisis-stricken and struggling southern countries? But, there is more. Especially during Merkel’s second term she has often been criticised for a lack of leadership in Europe, for not showing enough commitment to the debate on the future of Europe, a debate which is clearly badly needed especially with the elections to the European Parliament coming up in just a few months. Against the background of the euro crisis, the urgent need for fundamental institutional reforms and clear decisions on foreign and security policy as well as enlargement, with the UK referendum on a possible “Brexit” hanging over it like a sword of Damocles, a seemingly paralysed Europe yearns for vision and fresh ideas. Whatever the new German government will look like, a strong commitment to Europe is needed more than ever, but what are the actual chances?

Speakers
Maria Aroni, EU correspondent for Athens News Agency and ANT1
Reinhard Bütikofer, Member of the European Parliament (Greens/EFA, Germany)
Matthias Krupa, Brussels Correspondent DIE ZEIT
Rui Tavares, Member of the European Parliament (Greens/EFA, Portugal)

Moderator
Bastian Hermisson, Director Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union