Merkel’s monster: Is Macron plotting for France to overtake Germany as EU powerhouse?

EMMANUEL Macron could be plotting for France to take over Germany's position as the powerhouse of the European Union.

France in bid to take EU top spot from Germany? New president Macron ruffles feathers


The bloc has long been described as a German project, an extension of Germany and a Germany’s creation - but the tide is starting to change - after the nation backed one single Frenchman.
Desperate to block Marine Le Pen from becoming president of France, EU leaders threw their weight behind Emmanuel Macron, urging the French to let him replace President Hollande.
But since his election victory Mr Macron has not shown the EU nearly as much loyalty.
The Italians were the first to feel the force of the 39-year-old president’s ambitions, but now, it appears it is Germany’s turn.

Mr Macron is repeatedly giving out the opposite message from the EU and was ordered by Italy, last month, to put Europe before France.

German and French finance ministers Wolfgang Schäuble and Bruno Le Maire

Collins said the French president “seems more interested in grand sweeping gestures and symbolism than getting the job done."
She said: ”I think he'll get a shock when he goes on his tour of Eastern European countries later this month.
“His narrative is exactly the opposite of what Juncker, Tusk and Merkel have been saying. They can't be happy about this new kid on the block thinking he can just take over.
"He may have swept to power in France but the EU power game is a different story."
Germany has long been considered the economic powerhouse which pushes the EU forward, and it may be Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is most put out by the man she personally backed.
Mr Macron visited Germany twice during his presidential campaign, in a bid to impress with his grand plans for the reform of the eurozone including a common budget, a finance minister and a multi-speed Europe.
He gave a 70-minute lecture at Humboldt University in Berlin in January - but failed to impress.
One European commission economist said: “Most just yawn and wait for the next item of business.”

Now, Mr Macron is not keen to wait for Mrs Merkel’s hand, and it taking matters into his own.

France V Germany: Emmanuel Macron wants Bruno Le Maire to take top job

France is pushing for a single EU finance minister who should be French - in his opinion.
And now Dutch Labour politician Jeroen Dijsselbloem is leaving his finance minister post as head of the europegroup, Macri wants French finance minster Bruno Le Maire to replace him.
Decades of economic subservience to the Germans and their plans could be set to end for France as Macron puts his people in top EU spots.
But Paris and Berlin are not seeing eye to eye sparking fears of a major rift in the already crumbling bloc.
German led nations want fiscal discipline while southern states, like France, want to share risks.
And the wrangling over the nationality of those in the top EU finance spots, could force further divides.
Director of studies at the European Police Centre think tank said: “The personnel battle is a proxy for the battle to come.
‘The German-Dutch-Finnish camp distrusts the other camp, but there’s been distrust within the camps.”