Reunited Germany

Chancellor Angela Merkel together with Brandenburg State Governor Dietmar Woidke this Saturday during the celebration for the 30th anniversary of German reunification.POOL / Reuters

The reunification of Germany is one of Europe's greatest successes since the end of World War II.

For this reason, yesterday's commemoration of the integration of the Democratic Republic into the Federal Republic three decades ago cannot be assessed solely by looking at the past as a historical restitution after an imposition as a consequence of the distribution of forces after the war.

A united Germany continues to have an enormous positive impact on the advancement of the common European project.

Despite the economic, social and institutional challenge posed by the process, reunited Germany - whether with Social Democratic or Christian Democratic governments, usually supported by other forces such as liberals and environmentalists - has remained in these 30 years as the main economic reference of the continental Europe.

Furthermore, it has become an important stabilizing influence at all levels in the democracies born from the dictatorial regimes of the defunct Iron Curtain.

And all this from an undeniable anchoring in the idea of ​​European construction.

Under Angela Merkel, Berlin has adopted policies of paramount importance to the common project by opening, to the surprise of many, its borders to a million people during the refugee crisis or, more recently, by crossing one of its traditional Red lines accepting a European debt to alleviate the economic ravages of covid-19.

The balance sheet also has dark sides, such as the rigid austerity policy imposed during the 2008 debt crisis, which created serious tensions in the EU and possibly lengthened the road to recovery longer than necessary.

Although it is true that in recent years the country has witnessed the rise of the extreme right and the appearance of groups linked to it - which constitute a serious problem - its institutions have been solid and its parties have not fallen into temptation. radicalization, displaying a restraint and pragmatism that should serve as an example in other EU countries.