January 25, 2018

US President Donald Trump wants to put America first. And China is not exactly a champion of democracy and human rights. That's why some Europeans think it's time for them to step up to the plate and play a more important role on the world stage. In their speeches in Davos, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron both spoke out for free trade, international rules and universal humanist values.

The only problem is that the EU itself is deeply divided. The financial crisis has left deep scars, unemployment is high in many countries, the migration crisis has strained relations between member states and nationalism is on the rise.

Nonetheless, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malström believes that Europe has a lot to offer to the rest of the world. She sees the current lack of leadership by the US as an opportunity for the EU "to show we can do good trade agreements which are sustainable and mutually beneficial. We can promote European values through that, and we can create alliances and friendship with countries across the globe," Malström said in a Davos panel called "A new momentum for Europe."

Read more:

http://www.dw.com/en/davos-a-new-momentum-for-europe/a-42311823