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In the end it died with a whimper. Ultimately, we all knew that the cordon sanitaire (or Brandmauer – “firewall” – for German speakers) was neither a cordon nor particularly sanitary, much less fireproof.
For many in Brussels, Thursday’s decision by the European People’s Party to collaborate with the far right for the first time on legislation – in order to overturn a clutch of onerous environmental and human rights regulations – marked the crossing of a Rubicon.
“It is a black day for European democracy,” declared René Repasi, a German socialist lawmaker. “We are sleepwalking into breaching a taboo, the fallout of which is unpredictable.”
Yet the reasoning behind that claim is as tortured as Repasi’s metaphor.
For one, if the socialists really wanted to forestall the breaking of taboos and sleepwalking into breaches, they could have simply forged a compromise with the EPP.
They didn’t for a simple reason: The centre left is as sick of the cordon sanitaire as anyone. In an age of growing polarisation, there is no better way to unite the left side of the political spectrum than to portray the centre right as craven opportunists who will stop at nothing, including collaborating with extremists, in the pursuit of their agenda.
A good example of this is Spain, where the core message of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s socialists has long been that a vote for the centre right (Partido Popular) is in effect a vote for the far right (Vox).
That’s not to say the far right doesn’t pose a danger to democratic norms. The recent history of Hungary, Poland and the United States have made that abundantly clear. Nonetheless, when the large swathes of a population are casting their ballot for these forces, as is the case now across much of Europe – including in France and Germany – refusing to collaborate with them only further strengthens their appeal.
That is clearly the case in Germany, where the Christian Democrats’ stubborn insistence on maintaining a Brandmauer has helped fuel the Alternative for Germany into first place, according to a number of recent national polls.
That’s why this week’s events should be viewed less as a cause for lament than a long overdue recognition of reality.
The drug gateway to Europe
Thousands of cargo containers land every day at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, their contents swiftly dispatched across Europe. But the same transport links that make the port central to EU imports are being exploited by drug traffickers, making it the primary conduit for cocaine, heroin, and synthetic drugs.
The failure to crack down on this, and the marked rise in drug-related violence that has swept the country, has led one judge to declare Belgium to be at risk of becoming a “narco-state” – a statement that resonated with much of the public.
Local authorities have considerably stepped up efforts to disrupt supply chains, leading to record seizures and even requiring the country to invest in larger incineration facilities. But as the number of shootings continues to rise – not only in Antwerp city but also in Brussels – there is a growing consensus that drug trafficking is a problem bigger than Belgium, which will require coordination with European partners to stamp out.
Since becoming public prosecutor of Brussels last year, Julien Moinil has devoted himself to reducing drug crime. “Ten or twenty years of laxity can’t be fixed overnight,” he warned recently.
Delaying deforestation rules
The debate surrounding the EU’s anti-deforestation rules reached a pivotal juncture as Germany endorsed a one-year delay, making it applicable from December 2026, rather than next month. The legislation – which would require importers of cocoa, coffee, palm oil, cattle, timber, and rubber to prove their products are not linked to deforestation – could be altered even more, as EU countries including Germany are pushing to revisit it in April.
Berlin also supports the Commission’s simplification for small farmers and foresters in the EU but goes a step further, pushing for lighter requirements for “mixed businesses” – for instance, hotels that also run forestry operations.
Will FCAS get off the ground?
The Future Air Combat System, which will see Germany and France join forces to develop Europe’s next-generation fighter jet, has been beset by arguments between industry leaders as French manufacturer Dassault has threatened to push ahead with the project without Germany’s Airbus Defence.
The rift between the two contractors has grown, as the German contractor has expressed frustration with Dassault, which wants to take a lead role in developing the jet, potentially cutting Airbus Defence out of decision-making.
The argument was picked up by France’s defence minister, who said that Germany lacks the expertise to develop its own jet. Her comments further stoked doubts about the project’s future.
Germany goes back on climate finance pledge
After 15 hours of gruelling overnight budget talks, Berlin threw a firebomb towards Belém where the annual climate jamboree is currently ongoing – by cutting back on climate finance.
Money from nations that got rich selling fossil fuels going to developing countries is a key issue at the talks every year – with Germany cutting back, reaching a new deal of €300 billion by 2035 moves further out of reach.
