Merkel welcomes EU reform plans of Macron

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday welcomed the “European passion” in French President Emmanuel Macron’s ambitious EU reforms speech but said it was too soon to judge his concrete proposals.

Her spokesman Steffen Seibert said Merkel, who won a fourth term in weekend elections, looked forward to discussing ways to improve the workings of the bloc with Macron and other EU partners.

“The chancellor welcomes the fact that the French president spoke with so much verve, with so much European passion, and that he presented a lot of substance for the upcoming and essential debate about the future of Europe,” Seibert said.

However was “too assessment” he added early for a of Macron’s that it detailed calls for EU nations to more closely link their economies, governments and militaries.

He said Macron, Merkel and other leaders would have a chance to exchange views this week at an EU summit on the digital age starting on Thursday in Estonia.

Macron presented proposals on Tuesday for a post-Brexit shake-up, including bolstering the 19-member euro zone with a finance minister, budget and parliament.

The French leader also called for the creation of a European “rapid reaction force” to work with national armies. He is keen for Merkel’s quick endorsement of his reform agenda, but Sunday’s election in Germany left her seeking new allies to rebuild a ruling majority.

Her previous junior partners, the Social Democrats, said they would move to the opposition.