#Merkel spoke about the EU's response to #COVID19 & the priorities of the German Council Presidency this weekend. There were a few surprises. Could this potentially mean shift in German European policy after years of stagnation? Short THREAD bundeskanzlerin.de/bkin-de/mediat…
1/ The focus on European solidarity and cohesion could not be clearer & is a shift from a rather silent Germany beforehand: "Germany cannot be strong if others are not doing well"; "Some countries fear to be weakened from this crisis, while Germany is relatively well-off".
2/ While the German gov has always declared itself pro-EU integration, the clear words "we need more Europe" & "Europe should grow together during this crisis" takes another dimension in the current crisis.
3/ While I wasn't expecting much from the 🇩🇪 Council Presidency, #Merkel announces rather important shifts in policy: Increased #MFF contribution; but also continued focus on #climate, #digital & #strategicautonomy - which could mean a 🇩🇪 comprehensive view on crisis management.
4/ Most surprising: #Merkel mentions potential EU reform in healthcare (more competences for 🇪🇺?); env. #taxes & even financial transaction tax. While it will be difficult to find compromise, it is a rather welcome development to see that 🇩🇪 shows more willingness to act.
*a shift!
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