A Pillar of Freedom: As US Retreats, Germany Needs to Play Larger Role in Preserving the Liberal World Order
Ulrich Speck, German Council on Foreign Relations | June 2012
Germany has had enormous luck over the last few decades; the conditions for its success were essentially guaranteed by others. But Berlin can no longer rely on the United States to safeguard the framework that has guaranteed German peace, freedom, and economic prosperity for decades. It is for this reason that the author argues that Germany must re-define its foreign-political role from that of beneficiary of the liberal world order to one of its load-bearing pillars. The realization of this goal, according to him, requires a two pronged approach. First, Germany must assume more global responsibilities both independently and as co-leading power in the EU. And second, Berlin must push for the further development of the transatlantic partnership. To accomplish the former, Germany must play a leading role and deploy more resources when dealing with international crises, Europe’s eastern and southern neighborhoods, and in its relations with other powers. The latter can achieved if Berlin takes the initiative and brings both sides of the Atlantic closer together by building on a transatlantic “market place,” in addition to fostering closer coordination on foreign policy, perhaps in the form of a newly devised format for the EU-Summit.
Read the full paper here.
Dr. Ulrich Speck is a journalist, researcher and foreign policy analyst. He edits the ‘Global Europe Morning Brief’and writes a monthly foreign policy column for Neue Zürcher Zeitung. His articles have appeared in Süddeutsche Zeitung, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Tagesspiegel, Zeit, Merkur and Internationale Politik (DGAP).
Tue, Aug 21st 2012, 14:46
Hunne