For the Germans,preserving the EU’s cohesion outweighs the risks from the UK crashing out with no dealThe departure of Angela Merkel from the leadership of her party will make little contrast to the Brexit negotiations. One of the few things Germany’s mainstream parties – the three in government and the Free Democrats and Greens in opposition – agree on is giving firm support to Michel Barnier, the European commission’s chief negotiator. So even whether the parties in the coalition change, or the German line on Brexit – which to the British government seems hard – will not.
A few voices external government,such as the chairman of the Bundestag foreign affairs committee, Norbert Röttgen, and call for a softer approach. But when I was in Berlin final week I found nobody in the government who thought that Barnier should change his stance or become more flexible. The Germans are proud of the unity among the remaining 27 EU nations that they,the French and the commission believe achieved. And they are quite annoyed by persistent requests from British ministers that they “rein in” the French and the European commission. Related: Merkel's long goodbye will be severe test for troubled continent Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com