The recent cover of The Economist reads “Europe’s new order,” and shows a youthful French president in the glaring spotlight—and a German Chancellor Angela Merkel behind him in the dark shadow. Inside, the article titles tell the story: “A dynamic Emmanuel Macron and a diminished Angela Merkel promise a new balance in Europe,” “President Emmanuel Macron’s reform plans represent a turning point for his country,” “A weakened Angela Merkel enters the last chapter of her chancellorship,” and “One plodding, one striding, the leaders of Germany and France will change the EU.”
Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old financier and former economic minister, was elected President of France in May 2017 with 66.1 percent of the vote over far-right challenger Marine Le Pen’s 33.9 percent. He has been celebrated as “Europe’s savior” at a time when the European Union is shaken by Brexit, the challenge of President Trump and his “America first” rhetoric, and the right-wing populists on the European continent increasing their political clout.
By contrast, after twelve years as chancellor—eight of them governing with the pro-Europe, center-left Social Democrats as partners—Merkel won a fourth term but is severely weakened, especially with respect to support for the ambitious European reform agenda proposed by Macron and called for by Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU president.
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