Focus on Germany London Office The Chandlery Office 609 50 Westminster Bridge Road GB London SE1 7QY Tel 00 44 20 77 21 87 45 Fax 00 44 20 77 21 87 46 www.feslondon.org.uk December 2006 German Foreign Policy and the Grand Coalition The foreign policy of Germany under the Grand coalition is marked by the continuity of major policy trends that had already evolved under the red-green coalition. Yet, the country needs a profound discussion about the future of its foreign policy if it wants to face up to the challenges of the future. Stefan Mair Assuming the German chancellorship in November 2005, Angela Merkel had an ex­cellent start in foreign policy. Inexperienced as she was, expectations were low as to what she could achieve in this area. But within weeks of her chancellorship she mended fences with the United States and President Bush in particular and restored trust among her European partners in Ger­many’s European policy. Commentators were seeing Germany’s foreign policy heading back to the future: a future in which Germany again plays the double role of bridge builder between the two sides of the ___________________________________ Stefan Mair is Associate Director at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP)/German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin, the German government think tank on foreign and secu­rity policy. Atlantic on the one hand and engine for European integration on the other. However, these expectations seem to be based rather on Merkel’s style of leadership than substantial changes in Germany’s for­eign policy. Merkel’s ability to moderate and facilitate as well as her cautious approach contrast very much with Schröder’s prefer­ence for personal relations, publicity and posturing as the alpha male. The positive perception of Merkel’s attitude towards for­eign policy making certainly got reinforced by the personality of the new foreign minis­ter Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He prefers to keep a low profile but is certainly one of the most efficient managers of political power Germany has.