EU Reforms on Migration as Means of 'Buying Time': No Solution Looming - Analyst

00:10 GMT, 21 June 2018

Merkel meets Macron. Perfect alliteration, however, according to critics, not the best partnership to lead the EU. Tensions are at an all-time high, with both leaders being dubbed Europhiles who neglect the needs of other members of the bloc.

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Can the proposed reforms placate an already divided Eurozone? Sputnik spoke with Peter Schulze, Professor of politics at the University Of Gottingen for more insight on the issue

Sputnik: What will the new reforms entail and do you feel that they will be successful?

Peter Schulze: It will be successful as a means of buying time, but overall it will not solve anything. France is one of the least problematic places regarding the migration crisis because most of the refugees are coming from Italy via Austria, Switzerland and the Balkans, so in this regard there is no improvement.

An improvement could be seen with Merkel and Macron trying to convince the other European countries, because they are both heavyweights, to come to a solution which at least has a European etiquette or sign on it.

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This would save Merkel from being scrutinised by other countries and by internal opposition within her own party. I doubt that this will convince the central and eastern European countries because they will still to the solution and won’t except any refugees. Therefore a European solution is not on the agenda and the struggle in Berlin will continue.

All of this could lead to new elections in Germany and basically a change of government.

The views expressed in this article are those of Peter Schulze and do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.