By Noah Barkin
BERLIN, June 18 (Reuters) – Angela Merkel’s conservatives
want to increase the use of German in Europe if they are
re-elected in September, calling in their campaign programme
for the language to be treated on a par with English and French
in top Brussels institutions.
“German is the most frequently spoken native language and
one of three working languages of the European Union,” a draft
programme from Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its
Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), reads.
“We will push for a further strengthening of the German
language in Europe. Our goal is that it is treated in the same
way as English and French in the European Parliament, the
(European) Commission and (European) Council.”
English and French have been the dominant working languages
of the EU in the past few decades, although French has declined
since 2004 as the bloc expanded from 15 to 27 members, most from
eastern Europe where English is a more common second language.
But there are differences depending on the institution.
German is rarely used day-to-day at the European Commission,
but is heard frequently at the European Parliament, which has a
German president and is made up of more Germans than members
from any other state because of the country’s large population.
It is not the first time Merkel’s conservatives have called
for a strengthening of German in Brussels: in their 2009
programme they also complained that the language was not
receiving equal treatment.
But given Germany’s growing economic power within Europe
since the outbreak of the euro zone debt crisis just over three
years ago, the demand could rub other countries the wrong way.
Volker Kauder, leader of Merkel’s conservatives in
parliament, caused a storm back in 2011, when at the height of
the crisis he boasted that “Europe speaks German”.
In their election programme, the CDU and CSU also hail the
imposition of “German-style debt brakes” across Europe and
Berlin’s role in firming up EU budget rules and ensuring that
structural economic reforms are being implemented in its euro
partners.
They also trumpet their opposition to common euro zone bond
issuance and a Europe-wide deposit guarantee scheme.
“This would mutualise risks, forcing German savers to
guarantee the deposits of other countries,” the draft programme,
which is due to be approved this weekend, reads.
The parties hold up Germany’s balanced economy and robust
industrial base as a “worldwide model”.
“These successes are bringing us global recognition. A
survey by the British broadcaster BBC shows that Germany is the
most liked country in the world.”
(Additional reporting by Luke Baker in Brussels; editing by
Mark Heinrich)
