London and Berlin aim for closer cooperation
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to open up a new chapter in relations between his country and Germany. However this new start does not aim to reverse Brexit, he explained during his inaugural visit to Berlin. Closer cooperation is planned, particularly in the areas of trade, defence and migration. Commentators consider what this means for the two countries and for Europe.
Thaw at last
The Independent welcomes the fact that the British Labour government is pushing for closer ties with the EU:
“This is a moment for pro-Europeans to be optimistic. The direction of travel of British policy towards Europe has changed and is plainly again towards closer integration, the gravitational pull of the UK's largest trading partner making itself felt once more. It will not be fast or strong enough to reverse the damage done by Brexit, but it will begin the inevitable process of re-engagement, with the economic imperatives being reinforced, and overshadowed, by increasingly acute security concerns.”
Not everything back on track yet
More than goodwill is needed to reshape relations, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung cautions:
“Starmer needs to carefully consider every step towards the EU. ... It is not only the usual suspects who are ready to throw a spanner in the works at every opportunity. Even within his own party, the prime minister is not exactly dealing with convinced liberals when it comes to trade and other such issues. The newly affirmed friendship between London and Berlin is of course valuable. However plenty of water is likely to flow along the Spree and the Thames before it materialises.”
Paris will hinder rapprochement
Germany and France have different interests, explains The Times:
“He [Scholz] is a personal ally and backchannel talks opened before Starmer won last month's election but Scholz's powers are limited. His political star has waned and Brussels, the wider EU, has key 'offensive interests' in any talks on easing post-Brexit trade with Labour. ... As past prime ministers have found, export-driven Germany is always more open to easing trade friction. France, which sees opportunities to keep Britain out of European markets, will be aggressive in defence of the status quo.”