Europe Must Pre-Empt Ukraine Sell-Out, Tsunami Of Trump Tariffs
Date
11/15/2024 7:06:24 PM
(MENAFN- Asia Times)
The surprise about the American presidential election was how quickly the result became known, and President-elect Donald trump has maintained that surprising speed in announcing his cabinet selections. Those choices have not been surprising at all, except to optimists who hoped in vain that he would be more moderate in governing than he was in campaigning. They now will put Europe under great pressure to respond and to adapt, and to do so rapidly.
This promises to expose Europe's greatest weakness while underlining what is America's greatest strength, at least at moments when one Political party and person achieve such dominance. Europe moves slowly and by compromise in a European Union system deliberately designed to ensure no single country or person can be dominant. America's federal government can be far more decisive.
The European Union still does not have a new European Commission confirmed and in office even though Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected as president on July 18. Even more important, however, is weakness in Germany and France: Germany's Olaf Scholz faces a no-confidence vote on December 16, paving the way to early general elections on February 23; France's new prime minister, Michel Barnier, is battling to get his 2025 budget passed by a deeply divided National Assembly.
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