Germany will reaffirm euroatlantic bonds and start bearing more responsability

Konrad Watrin, former DPA foreign correspondent and present professor in history and social sciences speaks to Cross-border Talks about what the future German government of Olaf Scholz is expected to do. In his view, there are plenty of social problems that the country faces - such as the falling consumption force of its middle class and professionals. The international relations are also a challenge - with unprecedented developments taking place around. In May 2021 France and the UK sent military ships to protect their fisherman over a dispute for "sea resources" that one could have never imagined until recently. On the other hand, to the East Poland and Hungary are a clear challenge to the EU's undertanding as "unions of values", based on EU law superior to national legislation. Beyond Europe, Russia and especially China pose an ever larger challenge through what Watrin refers as "neo-colonialism" on the part of Beijing.
In this situation Germans have voted for different faces, but in fact for stability, for more of the same. And while Merkel have done some things well, there are many issues she didn't bother to confront. One of them is the fate of the EU - the great project of peace, which for the first time since its creation is threatened with unravelling. After Brexit, it is now Poland which challenges the European unified order.
The tensions between the Poland and the EU instititutions made Malgorzata Kulbaczewska-Figat the co-host of the podcast, and Konrad Watrin agree that the current Polish goverenment represents an anti-EU stance, that has the support of a minority of Poles. The majority is obviously pro-European and wants it to be an union where EU values and EU funds go hand in hand. And Konrad Watrin is sure that Olaf Scholz will confront the Polish leaders as soon as the new German govenrment is sworn in. He also made the conclusion, that Hungary has gone probably beyond the point of return in its opening to Russia.
In any case, the EU will be undergoing change in the time that come and Germany will be the most influental country within the EU in what follows.