As Germany kicks off its first Council Presidency since 2007, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and looming economic crisis, Europe faces a turning point – the greatest since either the 2008 financial crisis or the 2015 refugee crisis. In both cases, the Europe that emerged was markedly different from the Europe that entered. Covid-19 will be no different.
Leading Germany through her second Council Presidency in her 15-year career is Angela Merkel. She will have the opportunity to help steer the ship through these turbulent waters, not only for the next 6 months but also over the next 18 months as part of the Council Trio with Portugal and Slovenia.
Under her veteran leadership, what will Germany seek to prioritize? How will Germany – the EU’s largest and most influential Member State – seek to shape Europe, potentially for generations to come.
With that in mind, we’ve launched issue-specific snapshots, outlining some of the key takeaways and players set to influence the following sectors.
