NATO Solidarity In the EU

Germany’s ‘traffic light’ coalition of the Social Democrats, the Greens and the liberal FDP presents itself as a pro-EU force that would push for a European Federation. According to the coalition treaty, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) would be joined by Christian Lindner (FDP) as new finance minister, Anna Baerbock (Greens) as chief foreign minister — promising to take a tougher stance on Russia, China and Nord Stream 2 pipeline — and Robert Habeck (Greens) for ‘super ministry’ for climate, energy and the economy.

The new line-up’s consensus on budget spending is to be tested, but a fresh approach to a host of new social policies looks promising after 16 years of a conservative-led government. The incoming government will also urge the EU to get tougher on the rule-of-law crises in Poland and Hungary.

Meanwhile, the Bucharest Nine format reunited on Thursday to discuss Russia-Ukraine relations, the migrant crisis generated by Belarus at the eastern border of the EU and relations with China; a renewed message of support for the Eastern Flank was transmitted by the US administration. Vow to step up cooperation against hybrid threats was then echoed by EU and NATO a few days later during Ursula von der Leyen and Jens Stoltenberg’s visit to Lithuania. This important expression of solidarity comes ahead of a meeting between NATO foreign ministers, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Latvia on 29 November.

Several countries around the globe and in the EU have already reintroduced some lockdown procedures and restrictions on foreign travellers entering after the dangerous new variant of COVID-19, Omincorn, was detected. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control warned that countries needed to have a ‘timely’ policy intervention to avoid the high risk associated with Omincorn. While the infectious rate of the variant is notably higher, the increased severity of symptoms and morbidity has yet to be determined; first suspected cases of the new strain are being investigated in Czechia.