GUIDELINES OF EUROPEAN POLICY-HELMUT KOHL

Former German chancellor (1982-1998), Helmut Kohl, in his book Aus Sorge um Europa (Out of concern for Europe). Kohl puts the challenges posed by the euro crisis in a historical context and argues that only a unified Europe, not a loose association of states, can ensure peace and prosperity for the continent.

For Kohl, Europe is at a turning point today. Will it fall back into nation state-based thinking or will it undertake a renewed attempt at integration? He still believes that the euro made European unifica­tion “irreversible”  and that is a precondition for political union. However, he worries that the EU and its Member States have been too preoccupied with themselves in recent years and that as a conse­quence of earlier mistakes, much-needed trust and the courage to push for further progress are lacking.

Kohl regards this development as deeply worrying because a loose association of states unwilling to transfer sovereignty to the European level could fall prey to “ghosts from the past”, namely nationalism and war . At the same time, he admits that calls for a “United States of Europe” have stoked fears of excessive centralisation. He claims not to strive for a United States on European soil, but for diversity, sub­sidiarity and tolerance.

Concerning foreign policy, Kohl advocates an increased effort to improve relations with the Western Allies. At the same time, he warns Europe not to endanger the achievements of the 1990s, spe­cifically the successful cooperation with its Eastern neighbours on a variety of topics. He describes a gradual estrangement between the EU and Russia  that has now culminated in the conflict over Ukraine. While being clear that he does not endorse the recent Russian behaviour, Kohl also points out that the EU’s eastward expansion touches upon Russia’s security interests and that mistakes were made on both sides.

For the immediate future, Kohl recommends a reduc­tion in public debt and a shift away from shared lia­bilities. He underlines the importance of stability and trust and speaks against increasing budgetary flexibility, fearing that it could undermine reform efforts. Similarly, the solidarity he demands is lim­ited to “help for self-help” , while fiscal con­solidation remains the responsibility of the Member States themselves.

On a more general level, Kohl diagnoses an orienta­tion crisis that Europe needs to overcome before it can make substantial progress on material issues. He calls for a return to the values and visions of the founding fathers of the European Union. In this con­text, he ascribes a crucial role to political leadership. In the face of the daunting challenges that stand in the way of European integration, Kohl offers some encouragement to policymakers: He points out that the impressive progress that Europe has made over the past 100 years provides ample reason for opti­mism and stresses that “history is not an unchange­able process, but the result of human action” . He concludes by expressing his hope that people across Europe will someday speak of a “Europe of the fatherlands within a common fatherland Europe.