Merkel's dominance can torpedo EU reform

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out several times last week in favour of changing the Treaty of Lisbon and giving the European Court of Justice the last say on the budget policies of the euro countries and the right to impose sanctions. A hopeless plan, writes the left-liberal daily Süddeutsche Zeitung, as French President Nicolas Sarkozy "would prefer to pressure Merkel finally to unblock the money press at the European Central Bank. But he's not because he hopes to be re-elected in the spring. After all, if he were to go against the chancellor and her reform plan the resulting row would be enough for France to lose its AAA rating. Sarkozy would be chased out of power. As a result, Merkel finds herself in a relatively predictable situation. But she may tend to underestimate what is ultimately a decisive factor: the resistance against German predominance. Germany is more powerful than ever before in Europe; never in the history of modern Europe has Germany been perceived as being so almighty. This situation cries out to be corrected."

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