Post German Election--The Continent Starts to Move?

France and Germany unite to push Britain to EU sidelines - Times Online: "Joschka Fischer, a former German Foreign Minister, said the Franco-German axis had to come into its own again whatever the fate of the Lisbon treaty. “The centre of gravity of Europe can only be Paris and Berlin,” he told Le Monde last weekend. “Britain has decided to stay on the edge. Italy is . . . Italy. Poland has a way to come. Spain is buried in deep crisis.”"

In The New York Times Roger Cohen writes:

"This Germany is more nationalistic, more evenly poised between Washington and Moscow, cool to the point of disinterest about the European Union, self-absorbed and self-satisfied, dutiful but unenthused about the NATO alliance."

This is post financial crisis stuff where Sarkozy and Merkel have come together on bonuses and tax-havens. I took a look at Gordon Brown's speech the other day and thought it was good. He made a good case for Labour rather than the Tories. However, he was facing severe criticism from many corners and the overall feeling is that he, and the UK, will be essentially gone for a year pending the election next spring. On top of this the Tories are very EU sceptic and has left the EPP in the EU parliament.

Well, Ireland is voting on the Lisbon Treaty tomorrow.