Europeanization

GERMANY

Germany is one of the most powerful countries in Europe boasting of a strong society , politics , traditions and economy . It has played a significant role in what Europe and the world at large is , today . Right from the inception of European integration , it has been a major contributor to the growth of the European Union and it is regarded as the pillar of the continent and the union at large . Germany is actively involved in almost every aspect of the EU , the most outstanding ones are provision of political leadership , military

relations , economies diplomacy and policy making . Although Germany does not take explicit leadership in the European Union , it takes a centre stage as a `gentle giant ' in Europe . The most direct linkage in this view between the German economy and the European Union occurs in the context of the latter 's monetary budget . Germany has been the main contributor from the time the European Union was formed which means that the two are mutually dependent in most of the aspects . It also indicates that Germany is an economic superpower in the continent . Germany has also become a strong force in the European Union being able to defend its interests along with human rights and other moral values with respect to the needs of its people . With increased German troops in Kosovo and Serbia the country does play a crucial role in military and diplomatic responsibilities not only in Europe but also in other continents . The incremental pattern of domestic changes in Germany does not necessarily alter its role in international politics but allows cohesion between the two . Germany is rooted as the stem to political maturity of the continent . Consequently , there exists an opinion that fear and dislike Europeanization in Germany among the public . These group of citizens demand that the sovereignty of the nation should not be compromised by other interests while other groups seem to suggest that the integration should go ahead . This divergence undermines policy making including the entrenchment of the European Union 's constitution to the country 's laws so that funding and other requirements are factored in

Regardless of the varied opinions , Germany is known to have a very strong identity as a nation state which was enforced right after the second world war this later affected the identity of the European Union in that it sharply distinguished itself from both the German nationalist and militarist past . Moreover the Christian democracy and the social market were made strong through the pro- European opinions

With growing rivalry between Germany and France , experts warn that the greater and deeper the integration of the European Union continues to go the worse it becomes . Countries . The existing imbalance between the two could in the long term undermine the nascent economic recovery of the continent and other considerable achievements may not be realised since the two countries are economic giants in their own . However , some gains can be realized if negotiations to bridge the gap between Germany and...