The Resurgence of Europe

International politics has been busy of late with the coronation of new leaders to take over countries that are considered the vanguard for democracy and culture. Britain saw Gordon Brown take over the reins from the decade old and war worn Tony Blair and France saw Nicolas Sarkozy taking the Elysee Palace from the septuagenarian Jacques Chirac. Last year saw the election of Angela Merkel take the Chancellor’s position in Germany and this new troika offers hope to those who despair at the thought of the current world order which has the United States at the helm of global affairs. The new leaders, though all friendly to the United States, have all taken initiatives to show that “old Europe” has got a facelift and is ready to regain its role as the voice of moral, political and economic authority in world affairs. This development has been contiguous with the decline of American power, or at least the perceived decline, due to the fall out of the war in Iraq and domestic politics. The strengthening of the UK, France and Germany is encouraging and will bode well for multilateralism in the world.

The British Prime Minister was the focus of keen attention during his visit to the United States for his first meeting with President Bush as prime minister. Many were eager to notice the change in relationship that Brown would bring and how Brown would unshackle British foreign policy from that of the US, which over the past decade seemed to be intertwined to the point of irrelevance. Those who predicted a change from the Blair years were not left disappointed. Not only did Brown assume a “business like” approach he was quick to point out the nuanced differences between American and British interest in Iraq. Bush, who called Brown the “humorous Scotsman” rather than the dour variety Brown is accused of being, tried to unleash his southern charm and hospitality but to limited success. Brown made it clear that British troops will remain in Iraq (mostly concentrated in the southern part of Iraq) till the time their commanders deemed it necessary. He further clarified that once the British are ready to hand over power to the Iraqis they shall do so, irrespective of the situation in Baghdad. This key change in strategy showed the firm commitment Brown wants to bring whereby his country’s foreign policy does not depend on the decisions of President Bush. He made it clear that it will be his commanders, and not American ones, that will indicate when to leave. But more crucially, if the British are ready to hand over power to the Iraqis in Basra and elsewhere, they shall do so, without or without American consent. So while he reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the war against extremism and on the importance of the trans-Atlantic relationship, he was careful to point out that his country will not carry out the foreign policy decisions made in Washington but rather have policy guided by his commanders on the ground and Whitehall. And with that the Blair-Bush foreign policy initiative come to a tentative end and a new Brown-Bush relationship has begun which will only mean more trouble for Bush, for he will have to now convince rather than inform the British prime minister about the way forward.

The French President Nicolas Sarkozy proved he was no babe in the woods last week when he managed to negotiate the release of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who were incarcerated in a Libyan prison for years on the charge of deliberating infecting babies with the HIV virus. This was a major coup for Sarkozy, barely months into his new job, not only showed his great understanding of how to deal with a dictator, but it also showed that France was willing to take centre stage in international affairs rather than remain a benign bystander as the reputation of France has become for better part of the Chirac presidency. Then again, Sarkozy has called himself a close ally of America and has expressed his high regard for the American political system and its history. In doing so he has also offered the French fig leaf to America, in a bid to improve relations that plummeted during the run up to the Iraq invasion. Sarkozy has also been insistent on strengthening the EU and he along with German Chancellor have talked about a redrafted EU constitution which would be acceptable to all members as well as to their domestic audiences. While the Chirac-Schroeder attempt at the EU constitution proved to be a zero sum game, the Sarkozy-Merkel approach to the EU has been more pragmatic, with both leaders realizing the inevitable failure in case the draft constitution was continued in the same form. Their nuanced approach towards the entry of Turkey into the EU was well received within the EU, although the wider international community was dismayed at the xenophobic approach towards a secular Turkey, which if inducted to the EU will become the only country with a Muslim majority to become part of the EU. The German Chancellor too has impressed world leaders with her stewardship at the G-8 summit in Hilligendamm this year winning her accolades and also the manner with which she managed to converge the varied interests of member states as the president of the EU.

If Europe and the broader EU were to continue to strengthen their stands on issues of terrorism and unilateralism it is possible that they can present themselves as a creditable alternative to policies of the US. With young and dynamic leaders at the fore, a resurgent Europe can actually wrest back some of its lost voice. However, the EU and Europe will need to overcome its stagnant economies if it wants to have a greater say in world affairs. It is no secret that today’s foreign policy is more commerce than politics, and the EU will never be taken seriously if it does not improve its economic influence over the world. That said, this might be the last chance for Europe to resurface as a major player in international affairs. With the rise of India and China, the 21st Century has already been claimed by the two most populous country’s in the world. The relevance of Europe has diminished, but with the Sarkozy-Brown-Merkel team in charge, the outcome is cautiously optimistic at best and status qouist at worst. It’s up to Europe to make the most of it.