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THE DAILY HERALD, Thursday, March 16, 2017 International 25

BERLIN--When Emmanuel tion four months later, when focuses on the Franco-Ger-
Macron last visited Berlin Merkel seems likely to face man divide. “But this will be
in January, he was seen as a stiff competition from Mar- a lengthy process of rebal-
long shot to win the French tin Schulz, the Social Demo- ancing and rebuilding the re-
presidency, and couldn’t crat who made a career in lationship. And it has to start
even get a meeting with Brussels as a supporter of with robust reforms of the
Chancellor Angela Merkel. closer integration. French economy.”
On Thursday, the 39-year- Even if all the pieces fall For decades, France and
old former investment into place, German and Germany were seen as the
banker returns to the Ger- French officials say it would “motor” of the European
man capital as the election be wrong to expect a sud- Union: if they agreed on a
frontrunner, with a promise den, great leap forward that way forward, then others fol-
to reinvigorate the Franco- would quell growing doubts lowed. But the expansion of
Emmanuel Macron (C), head of the political movement En Marche !, or Forward !, and can-
German relationship and re- about the future of the EU the EU to 28 members and
habilitate a European Union and its single currency. It the divergent paths of the didate for the 2017 French presidential election, smiles during a visit to a qualification class
hobbled by Brexit, Donald will take time to forge con- French and German econo- for refugees of German railway operator Deutsche Bahn in Berlin, Germany January 10, 2017.
Trump and a tide of anti-EU sensus between Paris, Berlin mies over the past decade in response to Trump could “He needs to be very quick,” they could work well with
populism. and other member states in created an imbalance that restore balance to the rela- Demesmay said. “He needs Merkel or Schulz as chan-
This time, Macron will get an environment where the impaired their ability to lead. tionship by broadening the to have delivered by the time cellor, though they clearly
his hour with Merkel. But appetite for “more Europe” The divide was exacerbated discussion beyond economic the new government is in see the pro-European Social
can he convince Berlin to is waning and where devel- by squabbling over policy issues. Ultimately however, place in Germany.” Democrat (SPD) candidate
sign up to an elusive “grand opments on the ground can during the euro zone finan- Macron will need to show The shape of that govern- as opening up more possibili-
bargain” on Europe if he doom the best laid plans of cial crisis, with Germany Germany that he means busi- ment will also be key. Ma- ties for change.
does manage to enter the the bloc’s biggest states. - personified by hardline ness on the reform front. cron’s people say they believe
Elysee Palace in May? “The most important thing Finance Minister Wolfgang
The urgency has never been will be to reestablish a dia- Schaeuble - imposing its vi-
greater. But the answer will logue between Paris and sion of strict fiscal discipline
depend on whether a presi- Berlin on Europe. A Macron on the bloc while France
dent Macron can rebuild victory would make that pos- grumbled about a lack of vi-
trust across the Rhine by sible,” said Jean-Pierre Lan- sion and solidarity. Macron,
delivering on his economic dau, a former French central a centrist independent who
reform plans. banker and co-author of the has overtaken scandal-hit
It may also hinge on the out- 2016 book “The Euro and conservative Francois Fillon JAKARTA--China could pre- jing-based Chinese Centre findings suggest that adopt-
come of the German elec- the Battle of Ideas”, which in the polls and is projected vent three million premature for Disease Control and Pre- ing and enforcing tighter air
to beat Marine Le Pen of the deaths a year if it enforced vention, said over 350,000 quality standards in China
far-right National Front in a tighter air quality standards deaths were recorded in the will bring about tremendous
second round run-off on May in accordance with United 38 cities in this period. Based public health benefits.”
7, wants to put an end to this Nations guidelines, accord- on this, they said China PM10, particulate matter
standoff. ing to a study released on would save three million pre- produced by traffic and in-
When he spoke in Berlin Wednesday. mature deaths each year if its dustry, can enter the lungs
two months ago, he dis- The study, published in the PM10 level was lowered to and bloodstream. Another
missed the constant sniping British Medical Journal, ex- the WHO’s recommended hazardous airborne particle
BERLIN--Serbian Prime the EU. All this messy stuff, with Germany as a dead-end amined the mortality levels level. is the PM2.5, which is smaller
Minister Aleksandar Vucic it sends the wrong message for Europe. “We want a new and concentrations of the “This number is likely to be and lighter.
on Wednesday warned of se- to the people,” Vucic said.
deal with Germany,” said a tiny particles known as PM10 a lower bound estimate of China has been waging a
rious consequences if the Eu- Still scarred by wars fought senior member of Macron’s in the air in 38 large Chinese the total number of deaths war on pollution but its en-
ropean Union does not give in the 1990s along political, team. “If you just talk about cities between January 2010 related to air pollution be- vironment minister said last
Western Balkan countries a ethnic and religious lines, the euro zone reform or migra- and June 2013. It found the cause the air pollution effect week it still has work to do
clear message about joining Balkan countries are at vari-
tion it won’t work. But if you average PM10 level recorded can be larger in rural areas and needed to get companies
the bloc, citing growing na- ous stages of reforms aimed talk about the big three to in these cities during the pe- and PM10 is more detrimen- and local authorities to toe
tionalism and pro-Russian at paving the way for mem- five challenges, you can find riod was 92.9 micrograms per tal to human health in the the line.
sympathies in the region. bership, with Serbia seen as a
compromises.” cubic meter, much higher long run,” they said. “Our
He said Britain’s vote to linchpin whose development
Claire Demesmay, of the than the World Health Or-
leave the EU, increasing could pull up others. Russia, German Council on For- ganization’s standard at 20
conflicts among existing EU which is trying to exploit its eign Relations, believes the micrograms.
members and Greece’s con- historic links in the region
focus on bolstering Euro- The researchers, led by
tinued economic struggles to challenge EU and U.S. pean defence cooperation Maigeng Zhou at the Bei-
had unsettled many in the involvement, opposes the
Balkans, fanning concern accession of Balkan states
about how realistic Serbian into the EU. European lead-
membership in the EU really ers said at a summit last
was. week more Balkan states
“You hear these rumours. could still join the European
‘The EU doesn’t want us’. Union if they stuck to a path
And then people try to find of economic and democratic
something different. That’s reform.
something we see as a dan- Vucic’s centre-right Serbian
ger,” Vucic told Reuters a Progressive Party (SNS) last
day after he met Chancellor month nominated him to run
Angela Merkel. “People are for the largely ceremonial
becoming more nationalistic, post of president in a move
and on a monthly basis you he said was aimed at shoring
see a slight decline of EU up support for Serbia’s stra-
popularity and a slight rise of tegic goal of joining the EU
Russia popularity.” while maintaining friendly
He said he urged Merkel ties with Russia. Vucic un-
to assert more leadership on derscored Serbia’s strategic
the issue of EU membership goal of joining the EU, but
for Serbia and its neighbours, said his country was not seek-
with an eye to showing the ing to join NATO and would
tangible benefits of future stay neutral militarily, trying
EU membership, including to maintain good ties with
jobs and Western values. both Russia and the United
“We need huge support from States.