Merkel’s Moment, a Schmittian emergency  28.9.11

Margarita Mathiopoulos is with her back to the wall because of her ongoing plagiarism investigation. I guess she’s first among the Transatlanticist wing of the German foreign policy elite to put it that bluntly:

If it fails, the blame will be on Germany. … All eyes are on Berlin. There is a strong, if silent, expectation in European capitals — as in Washington — that Germany will not forget its historic obligation to those who helped it rise out of the ashes of World War II and reunite.

… and pulls a Schmitt (Carl, that is):

First and foremost, Merkel and Sarkozy can and should declare that the euro zone is in a “state of emergency.” This would allow them (…) Although this would require revising the Lisbon Treaty, a state of emergency would make it possible to take action immediately.

…and asks to give the Germans some boots that are not made for walking:

Germany will only agree to the introduction of eurobonds to spread the responsibility for government debt across the euro zone if sinning countries can be punished.

One Comment on “Merkel’s Moment, a Schmittian emergency”

  1. 1 netdefences » Blog Archive » “Du sollst dich nicht erwischen lassen” said at 12:13 on October 9th, 2011:

    […] Margarita Mathiopoulos, “Ein Liberales Manifest”: Es muss daher vordringliche Aufgabe freidemokratischer Politik sein, einen liberalen Wertekodex der vom Verfall bedrohten bürgerlichen Tugenden – Anstand, Sittlichkeit, Ehrlichkeit, Pflichtgefühl, Großzügigkeit, Disziplin, Fleiß – aufrechtzuhalten, um den Vormarsch der Sünden – Wollust, Gewalt, Betrug, Lüge, Laster, Selbstsucht (das 11. Gebot „du sollst dich nicht erwischen lassen“) Einhalt zu gebieten. […]