Olaf Scholz wants Germany to take the lead in European Defence, alone!

A few days ago we wrote that Germany was turning away from France without saying so in matters of defense. From now on, it is said, and in a very clear way. On the occasion of an intervention within the framework of the conference "The Bundeswehr in a new era", German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has indeed clearly defined Berlin's roadmap in the years and decades in Europe. "Let's be perfectly clear, Germany is ready to take a leading position for the protection of the European continent." And to add "As the most populous country, having the most powerful economy in Europe and positioned in the heart of the continent, our army must become the pivot of European defense, and be the best equipped".

Obviously, Berlin no longer considers in the least that the Europe of La Défense should be built around the Franco-German couple, nor even that France can play a decisive role in the organization of La Défense on the old continent. It is, in the words of Olaf Scholz, a subject which concerns only Germany and NATO, therefore the United States, the other actors having to agglomerate around the central pivot which will represent the Germany in this new architecture. The position expressed this morning by the German Chancellor is, in fact, in no way surprising. Indeed, for several years, powerful political but also industrial and military forces had been working across the Rhine to bring the Chancellery back to fairer considerations, whether vis-à-vis the United States or France.

In fact, whether it be the repeated reluctance of the Bundestag to support and finance Franco-German defense industrial programs, the increasingly firm postures of German industrialists within these programs, in particular with regard to Airbus DS and Rheinmetall, and even military personnel who, indirectly after one of their own was sent into retirement for publicly supporting the F-35, continue to undermine this cooperation, all methodically eroded the foundations on which Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron had, in 2017 and 2018, outlined what was to constitute the base on which European strategic autonomy was to be built. And in fact, the warning signals have been numerous and repeated since 2019, ranging from firm rejection of French offer to extend deterrence to some of its European neighbours, to the repeated setbacks concerning the progress of industrial programs. However, in many aspects, Berlin is in a weak position to ensure the pivotal role of European Defence.

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