Germany took power on Wednesday for the six-month presidency of the European Union, with outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel betting on her legacy of a massive economic reform plan to help combat coronavirus collapse.
Merkel's last major role on the international stage came as the 27-member club battled its deepest recession since World War II, leading to an epidemic that has claimed more than 500,000 lives worldwide. Taken.
The crisis left Europe with its most powerful leader, with just one year to his final term, missing the usual waiting-and-see approach that calls for "extraordinary measures" for the storm's climate.
Merkel said Monday that "the future of Europe is our future" as she stands alongside French President Emmanuel Macron for a 750 billion euro ($ 843 billion) coronavirus recovery fund.
The proposed fund is controversially funded by EU loans and marks a shocking U-turn for Germany after years of protests against debt pooling.
Der Spiegel wrote weekly that Merkel's "last chance" to preside over the rotation of the European Union, to become one of Europe's greatest leaders, was Germany's largest country and the top economy on the block of Germany. There is time for more responsibility.
"For years, the Chancellor began dealing with the long-standing problems of the European Union and the euro. Now, at the end of his political career, he has the opportunity to make past mistakes," Spiegel wrote.
There will be no shortage of challenges in the coming months.
Despite the pandemonium's promise to dominate the agenda, the post-Brexit negotiations, the more robust China, rock-solid relations, climate change, and conflicts in Libya and Syria are all the focus.
'Extraordinary Solidarity'
Germany closed its EU custody on Tuesday night at Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate with the words "Together for the Restoration of Europe".
After a 15-year tenure, Merkel is the longest serving leader on the block and once again served as EU president in 2007.
But this time the stakes.
The first big test comes at the EU summit on July 17-18, where Merkel is expected to sign a $ 750 billion euro rescue fund proposed by former defense minister Ursula van der Leyen. Happens.
The money is expected to come primarily in the form of grants to debtor countries such as Italy and Spain.
But so-called savings countries, including Austria and the Netherlands, want to control costs and insist on loans rather than grants.
Merkel urged holdout countries to "engage in extraordinary solidarity", warning that asymmetric recovery would weaken the EU's single market and also hurt strong economies.
"Although the road is still long, we hope to find a solution," Merkel told a press conference with Macron.
Brexit warning
The fund was based on an idea unveiled by the French-German duo in May, with the European Commission collecting money in financial markets to pay for epidemic recovery in poor member states.
If accepted, the rescue fund would be a milestone for the unity of the European Union.
This is also a major victory for Berlin, and could ease some of the resentment from the eurozone debt crisis a decade ago, when Merkel's government insisted on austerity for struggling countries like Greece.
Another controversial issue that defines Germany's EU presidency is Brexit.
After weeks of stagnation, Britain and the European Union have re-negotiated the country's divorce agreement - leading to a tough Brexit at the end of the year.
In an interview with several newspapers last week, Merkel warned that Britain "has to live with the consequences" of weak economic ties with the European Union.
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