One of the favorites to succeed Angela Merkel in power in Germany, a member of her conservative party, criticized this Sunday, February 16, the chancellor's lack of responsiveness to Emmanuel Macron's proposals to relaunch the European project.
Armin Laschet, current head of government of the largest German regional state, North Rhine-Westphalia, has thus clearly distanced himself from that which he has so far supported and designed at the same time what could be his own program. European once at the Chancellery.
Read also: Germany: crisis at the CDU, the power of Angela Merkel in turmoil
" I would have liked a more determined, faster response " from the government of Angela Merkel, following the proposals of the French head of state made since 2017 on the theme of Europe " power " and " sovereign " . " The French president is making proposals and we need too much time to react " in Germany, he added at the annual security conference in Munich.
He regretted that the commitment of the current German coalition government, between conservatives and social democrats had not kept its promise, however written in the coalition contract, of a " revival of Europe ". " We haven't really seen much of it so far, " he said.
Read also: Germany: in the midst of a national political crisis, Angela Merkel's designated runner-up gives up succeeding her
The recent period with a series of crises like Brexit " may not have been the right time for grand European visions ", he said before adding: " but I think the period which is coming opener will need it more . "
A way to place in orbit for the post-Merkel, the chancellor in power for 15 years to retire politically by the end of 2021 in the next election.
Armin Laschet has moreover suggested that he sees himself as having a great European destiny. Asked whether he planned to remain head of regional government for North Rhine-Westphalia in Düsseldorf in the future, or to go to the Chancellery in Berlin, he replied with a smile: " Aachen ", a European city par excellence on the border with Belgium, where each year the great European personalities are rewarded.
Read also: Fall of the Wall: Merkel calls on Europe to defend democracy
This moderate and centrist Christian Democrat is considered one of the two most serious contenders for being the candidate for the Chancellery of Angela Merkel's (CDU) German conservative party in the next elections. The other, Friedrich Merz, is holding on to the right to recover some of the voters tempted by the far right.
