Merkel’s Troubles May Spell Trouble for All of Europe<br />Berlin said that But what we were waiting for — a new dynamic<br />because Macron would finally have a partner to revitalize the European locomotive or the Franco-German couple — this is postponed and that is serious.<br />And Macron can’t do it on his own." With Ms. Merkel weakened<br />and Germany facing the possibility of a caretaker government before new elections in the spring, European Union reform will be put through another extended delay.<br />Devout supporters of the British exit from the European Union — known as Brexit — saw Ms.<br />Merkel’s troubles as helping their cause — "the political weakness of the strongest E.U.<br />Serious decisions on the eurozone, migration, asylum, defense<br />and other issues — let alone negotiating Britain’s exit from the bloc — were already put off until after the French and German elections this year.<br />" he said. that But it might matter in the long term, because if the negotiations get stuck, Merkel and Macron could intervene to get a deal,<br />"He has this window of a year before the European elections while he’s still powerful to try to get things done." Mr. Macron has hung his political fate, and<br />that of Europe, on hopes for a strong Franco-German engine to drive reforms.
