Turkey can do a lot more for Europe!
Germany, as the most dominant member state within the EU, has the leverage over Russia and can de-escalate the conflict in Ukraine. To foster peace and development, Germany should invest in institution building without binding its aid to political conditions. Last but not least, Germany should support Turkey's membership in the EU.
Germany acts like a "normal" country and does not always harmonize its national interest with that of the EU.
As the largest member state, Germany exerts substantial influence on the European Union (EU) institutions and decision-making processes. In the wake of the German reunification and the restoration of full sovereignty, many expected a shift towards a German European diplomacy that would not abstain from promoting and pursuing national interests through the institutional mechanism of the EU.
In fact, there seems to be a new understanding of European vocation in Germany. Germany acts like a "normal" country and does not always harmonize its national interest with that of the EU.
Nonetheless, the EU's expansion has redefined its political landscape and internal dynamics. As a consequence, in a union with 28 member states, German interests can no longer always be presented as part of wider collective demands. The EU is simply too big and too diverse.
Furthermore, in view of the institutional architecture of the EU, any national government has an obligation to consider the interests of its domestic constituency to maintain its legitimacy and credibility. However, like all big member states, Germany has to maintain a delicate balance between a "national" foreign policy and a "European" foreign policy, designed, elaborated, and conducted in cooperation with European partners.
Overview for this article
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Tap the full potential of the partnership
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Germany indispensable for the EU
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German foreign policy through the EU
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Germany as a crisis-manager
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Deepening cooperation with Turkey
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In favor of Turkey's EU membership
