Policy Briefs

A. Bongardt, L. Codogno, F. Torres – GERMANY’S ELECTION: BEHIND CONSENSUS POLITICS LIE CONFLICTING IDEAS OF EUROPE

Ahead of the 24 September German federal elections, Angela Merkel and the CDU/CSU are leading by a wide margin, although the number of undecided voters is still high. Contrary to the perception that German elections are ‘boring’, there is a lot at stake for the future of Europe. Although Europe has been relatively absent from the electoral debate, there is a clash between two different visions: further integration by strengthening European institutions, and gradual integration by making the Union even more inter- governmental, with a de-politicised Commission and a transformed European Stability Mechanism.

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