Lack of Fitness: Europe Needs To Adapt after US Elections
Published in Frankfurter Rundschau
(Germany) on 4 November 2024
by Andreas Schwarzkopf (link to
original)
Germany and the EU countries are not prepared for future U.S. policies, regardless of whether Harris or Trump moves into the White House.
The more attention people pay to the U.S. presidential campaign, the more they realize that Germany and other EU countries are not prepared for future U.S. policies. Europe could adjust to the Democrat Kamala Harris better than to Donald Trump and the aggressive stance against the Old Continent that is expected from him. But both candidates are fixated on the conflict with China and will devote even more resources to this brawl.
Whether Trump or Harris: Europe Is Not Prepared for New US Policies
Ukraine will then increasingly become the European allies’ problem. And Germany, as an export country, will especially suffer under the ever worsening trade war between the U.S. and China. That would be less alarming if the Europeans were as fit as they were during Trump’s first term in office, when they successfully opposed American tariffs, for example.
Unfortunately, Germany is economically weakened. Moreover, the current coalition is occupied with its own problems, as is the French government. And Spain is hampered by flooding. The list could go on. If the responsible parties in the European capitals do not pull themselves together, frustration over them will grow, and even more people will turn to the right-wing populists.
The more attention people pay to the U.S. presidential campaign, the more they realize that Germany and other EU countries are not prepared for future U.S. policies. Europe could adjust to the Democrat Kamala Harris better than to Donald Trump and the aggressive stance against the Old Continent that is expected from him. But both candidates are fixated on the conflict with China and will devote even more resources to this brawl.
Whether Trump or Harris: Europe Is Not Prepared for New US Policies
Ukraine will then increasingly become the European allies’ problem. And Germany, as an export country, will especially suffer under the ever worsening trade war between the U.S. and China. That would be less alarming if the Europeans were as fit as they were during Trump’s first term in office, when they successfully opposed American tariffs, for example.
Unfortunately, Germany is economically weakened. Moreover, the current coalition is occupied with its own problems, as is the French government. And Spain is hampered by flooding. The list could go on. If the responsible parties in the European capitals do not pull themselves together, frustration over them will grow, and even more people will turn to the right-wing populists.
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