[Annotated] Germany moves one step closer to a new government

Modest concessions to^[각주:1] Emmanuel Macron prettify^[각주:2] an unambitious blueprint for^[각주:3] coalition 

Anyone hoping exploratory coalition talks between Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), their Christian Social Union (CSU) alliance partners^[각주:4] and the Social Democrats (SPD) would produce an ambitious governing project was always likely to be disappointed. In the election on September 24th all three obtained their worse result^[각주:5] since 1949. The preceding "grand coalition"^[각주:6] had been virtually on autopilot before^[각주:7] the election anyway and the SPD was desperate to return to opposition. It was only forced back to the negotiating table^[각주:8] by the collapse in^[각주:9] November of talks between the CDU/CSU, the pro-business^[각주:10] Free Democrats (FDP) and the Greens. The leaders of all three parties - CDU, CSU and SPD - are weak within their own camps. 

That showed when, this morning after a final, 24-hour-long negotiating push at the SPD's Berlin headquarters, the parties unveiled a 28-page basis for^[각주:11] formal coalition negotiations. There were wins for both sides of the prospective coalition^[각주:12]. The CDU/CSU gets a monthly cap of^[각주:13] 1,000 on new immigrants joining family members in Germany, much lower than previously mooted numbers^[각주:14], and an annual maximum for total arrivals in the 180,000-220,000 range^[각주:15]. It also resists^[각주:16] SPD demands for tax rises for the rich and for the merging of private and public health insurance into one, state-run system^[각주:17]. 

Meanwhile the SPD gets pensions guaranteed at 48% of a worker's average salary until at least 2025, full-day schooling for all children to the age of 10 and a repealed^[각주:18] ban on^[각주:19] state-federal cooperation on^[각주:20] education policy. Another achievement is increased and accelerated investment in^[각주:21] schools, infrastructure and the digital economy^[각주:22]. And the SPD's influence shows in the heavy focus on a "European awakening^[각주:23]", which leads the paper's list of priorities and takes up its first three pages^[각주:24]. 

The commitments on Europe go farther than what^[각주:25] a coalition including the increasingly eurosceptic^[각주:26] FDP would have done. A new grand coalition would support turning the European Stability Mechanism^[각주:27], which provides emergency financial help to stricken euro-zone economies^[각주:28], into a full European Monetary Fund (EMF) under parliamentary control^[각주:29] and anchored in^[각주:30] European law^[각주:31]. Germany would contribute more to^[각주:32] the EU budget. There would be corporate tax harmonization^[각주:33], and funds earmarked for^[각주:34] "economic stabilization, social convergence^[각주:35] and support for^[각주:36] structural reforms in the euro zone, which could be a starting point for a future euro-zone investment budget^[각주:37]." In an implicit threat to^[각주:38] central European governments opposed to refugee quotas^[각주:39], the document asserts that^[각주:40]: "The principle of mutual^[각주:41] solidarity^[각주:42] should also apply in the EU budget."

All of which gives Emmanuel Macron enough to tell French voters that Berlin has heard his euro-zone reform proposals^[각주:43] and gives Martin Schulz, the SPD leader, material with which^[각주:44] to sell a new grand coalition to his reluctant^[각주:45] but Europhile base^[각주:46]. But beyond the upbeat language^[각주:47], and uncontentious ideas like^[각주:48] the tax harmonization proposal, the paper's European chapter is largely open-ended^[각주:49]. It does not mention banking union, for example. It does not specify whether^[각주:50] an EMF would do much more than enforce rules^[각주:51] (as proposed by Wolfgang Schäuble, Germany's hawkish^[각주:52] former finance minister^[각주:53]) or whether its parliamentary control would operate at a national or European level. The text should be read as a "simple openness to talk", cautions Lucas Guttenberg of the Delors Institute. Much depends on whether the SPD secures the powerful finance minister in formal talks, he says. 

Meanwhile calls on Germany to do more in the world go largely unheeded^[각주:54]. The word "NATO" is not even mentioned. Under the four-year projections of the coalition paper, notes Philipp Rotmann of the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin, both Germany's defence budget^[각주:55] and its combined defence^[각주:56], aid^[각주:57] and diplomacy budgets would remain broadly flat^[각주:58] as a proportion of^[각주:59] GDP. Climate change is not mentioned among the prospective coalition's main priorities^[각주:60], and the chapter devoted to the subject effectively removes Germany's commitment to its 2020 emissions targets^[각주:61] - the country's great nuclear switch-off^[각주:62] having made it harder to close dirty coal power stations. 

Domestically the paper proposes more of the same, with a few tweaks^[각주:63]. There are yet more goodies for^[각주:64] German pensioners^[각주:65], for example: alongside the 48% rate the blueprint envisions expanding^[각주:66] the "mothers' pension" for stay-at-home parents. On the shift to^[각주:67] electric cars - an existentially important step for^[각주:68] German industry in the next decades - the paper says nothing of substance. The mammoth task of^[각주:69] integrating^[각주:70] the country's newcomers^[각주:71] receives two short and platitudinous paragraphs^[각주:72]. Observers like^[각주:73] Marcel Fratzscher, a leading economist^[각주:74], and the Association of German Chambers of Commerce complain about the lack of ambition. In its reaction to^[각주:75] the paper the latter warns of^[각주:76] increased red tape^[각주:77]. 

All of which is politically explainable^[각주:78]. Mrs Merkel, facing internal criticism in^[각주:79] the CDU, has less room for^[각주:80] compromise than before^[각주:81]. The CSU faces a tough election in its home state of Bavaria in the autumn. The SPD's left, particularly the Young Socialists, its youth wing^[각주:82], is in revolt against^[각주:83] any new grand coalition. There is no guarantee delegates at its conference in Bonn on January 21st will support progress to^[각주:84] formal talks with^[각주:85] the CDU/CSU, or that members will endorse a final deal in^[각주:86] the (binding)^[각주:87] ballot^[각주:88] afterwards^[각주:89]. The conviction that^[각주:90] a stable government, or new elections prolonging^[각주:91] and not necessarily resolving^[각주:92] the deadlock^[각주:93], is a perfectly respectable one^[각주:94]. That Mrs Merkel has been able to forge a compromise^[각주:95] at all, after 12 years and in difficult political circumstances for all concerned^[각주:96], is an achievement^[각주:97].

Still^[각주:98]. At Germany's next scheduled election, in 2021, there will be eligible voters^[각주:99] younger than the country's last substantive^[각주:100] economic reform. The country enjoys a vast budget surplus^[각주:101] (€38.4 billion in 2017, according to figures^[각주:102] released yesterday, and rising) and record low unemployment; a window in which to^[각주:103] prepare for the future. The wider European economy is doing well and in Emmanuel Macron Berlin has a uniquely reformist^[각주:104] and German-friendly partner in Paris. If now is not the time to bring vision and energy to the country's domestic modernization^[각주:105] and growing international responsibilities^[각주:106], when is? Perhaps small, tentative steps towards^[각주:107] euro-zone reform and a "steady as she goes" agenda at home is the best that Germany's current party politics will allow. If so, it is a shame. 

1. concession ;1. [C , U] (언쟁을 끝내거나 상황을 개선하기 위한) 양보[양해] ;; 참고 ; concede ;; 2. [U] 인정 [본문으로]
2. prettify ; [타동사][VN] (pret・ti・fies , pret・ti・fy・ing , pret・ti・fied , pret・ti・fied) (보통 못마땅함) 꾸미려[단장하려] 들다(흔히 그 결과 오히려 외관을 망치게 됨을 나타냄) [본문으로]
3. blueprint ; 2. ~ (for sth) 계획, 청사진 [본문으로]
4. alliance ; 1. [C, U] 동맹, 협정; 연합, 제휴, 협조[between, among, with]. ;; 2. [단·복수 양용] 동맹자, 제휴자; 동맹국, 연합국. ;; 미국∙영국 [ə|laɪəns] [본문으로]
5. obtain ; (격식) 1. [타동사][VN] (특히 노력 끝에) 얻다[구하다/입수하다] [본문으로]
6. preceding ; [형용사] (the preceding) (시간·장소적으로) (바로) 전(前)의, 앞(서)의, 이전의; 전술(前述)한. ;; 동의어 ; PREVIOUS [본문으로]
7. on autopilot ; If you are on automatic pilot or on autopilot, you are acting without thinking about what you are doing, usually because you have done it many times before or because you are very tired [본문으로]
8. negotiating table ; [sing.] [주로 신문에서 쓰여] 협상 테이블 [본문으로]
9. collapse ; [U] 무너짐, 와해(瓦解); (내각·은행 등의) 붕괴; (희망·계획 등의) 좌절(failure); (건강 등의) 쇠약; [의학] 허탈; 의기소침 [본문으로]
10. probusiness ; [형용사] 친(親)비즈니스파(派)의, 재계(財界)편의 [본문으로]
11. unveil ; 2. (새로운 계획・상품 등을) 발표하다 [본문으로]
12. prospective ; 1. 예상된, 기대되는, 장차의(opp. retrospective); 장래에 발효되는 <법률 등> [본문으로]
13. cap ; 5. (임금·물가 등의) 최고 한도액, 상한(上限) [본문으로]
14. moot ; [타동사][VN] [주로 수동태로] (격식) (의견 등을) 제기하다 [본문으로]
15. range ; 5. 구역, 범위(scope, extent). [본문으로]
16. resist ; 1. (어떤 일을 받아들이지 않고) 저항[반대]하다 [본문으로]
17. state-run ; [형용사] 국영의 [본문으로]
18. repeal ; [타동사][VN] (법률을) 폐지하다 [본문으로]
19. ban on ; ~에 대한 금지 [본문으로]
20. cooperation on ; …에 대한 협력 [본문으로]
21. accelerated ; [형용사] 속도가 붙은, 가속된 [본문으로]
22. digital economy ; [명사] (경영) 디지털 경제(인터넷 등 정보 통신 산업이 주도하는 경제). [본문으로]
23. awakening ; 1. [C] [주로 단수로] 자각[인식](의 계기) [본문으로]
24. take up ; (시간·공간을) 차지하다[쓰다] [본문으로]
25. go far ; 장차 크게 되다[성공하다] [본문으로]
26. eurosceptic ; [명사, 형용사] [때로 e~] 유럽 연합(EU)의 강대화에 회의적인 (사람[정치가]) ((영국의 참가에 소극적인 정치가 등)) [본문으로]
27. European Stability Mechanism ; (finance) A proposed international organisation that would provide financial assistance to members of the Eurozone in financial difficulty. [본문으로]
28. stricken ; 문어 1. [[A]] (탄환 등에) 맞은, 상처받은, 부상당한 ;; 2. 비탄에 잠긴, 짓눌린; (병에) 걸린, 고통받는 ((with)) [본문으로]
29. parliamentary ; [주로 명사 앞에 씀] 의회의; 의회가 있는 ;; 참고 ; unparliamentary [본문으로]
30. anchor ; 3. [타동사][VN] [주로 수동태로] ~ sb/sth (in/to sth) ~에 단단히 기반을 두다 [본문으로]
31. European law ; 유럽 연합법 [본문으로]
32. contribute ; to help to cause something [본문으로]
33. corporate tax ; [명사] 법인세 [본문으로]
34. earmark ; [타동사][VN] [주로 수동태로] ~ sb/sth (for/as sb/sth) (특정 목적용으로) 배정[결정/예정]하다 [본문으로]
35. convergence ; 2. (사상·경제력 따위의) 수렴(收斂), 격차 축소. [본문으로]
36. support for ; …에 대한 지원. [본문으로]
37. investment budget ; 투자예산 [본문으로]
38. implicit ; (참고: explicit) 1. ~ (in sth) 암시된, 내포된 ;; 2. ~ (in sth) (직접 표현되지 않더라도) 내포[포함]되는 [본문으로]
39. quota ; 3. (이민·입회·수업·등록 등의) 인원 할당수 [본문으로]
40. assert ; 1. (사실임을 강하게) 주장하다 [본문으로]
41. mutual ; 1. 상호간의, 서로의 [본문으로]
42. solidarity ; [U] ~ (with sb) 연대, 결속 ;; 2. (단체 내·단체 간의) 연대 책임. [본문으로]
43. reform proposal ; 개혁안 [본문으로]
44. material ; 4. [U] 인격적 요소; 인재, 인물 [본문으로]
45. reluctant ; 1. 마음 내키지 않는; 마지못해 하는, 달갑지 않은 [본문으로]
46. Europhile ; [NOUN] a person who admires Europe, Europeans, or the European Union ;; 미국·영국 [|jʊərəʊ|faɪl] [본문으로]
47. upbeat ; [형용사] (비격식) 긍정적인, 낙관적인 [본문으로]
48. uncontentious ; [형용사] (격식) 논란의 여지가 적은 [본문으로]
49. open-ended ; [형용사] 제약[제한]을 두지 않은, (정정・추가 등의) 조정이 가능한 [본문으로]
50. specify ; (-fied) 1. 일일이 열거하다, 명기하다, 상술(詳述)하다 ;; 2. 조건으로서 지정하다 [본문으로]
51. "do much more than 동사" 형태로 사용한 것을 확인 [본문으로]
52. hawkish ; 매 같은 ; 강경 노선의, 호전적인(belligerent). [본문으로]
53. finance minister ; [명사] 재무 장관 [본문으로]
54. go unheeded ; 무시되다 ;; unheeded ; [형용사] (격식) 무시된 ;; 참고 ; heed [본문으로]
55. defence budget ; 국방 예산 [본문으로]
56. combined ; [형용사] 1. 결합된, 합동의, 연합의 [본문으로]
57. aid ; 1. [U] 원조, 지원 ;; 참고 ; financial aid, legal aid [본문으로]
58. remain flat ; 현상태를 유지하다, 낮은 상태를 유지하다 [본문으로]
59. proportion ; 1. PART OF WHOLE | [C+sing./pl. v.] (전체의) 부분, (전체에서 차지하는) 비율 [본문으로]
60. main priority ; 주요 우선순위 [본문으로]
61. target ; 7. (생산·모금·저축 따위의) 목표액. [본문으로]
62. switch-off ; [명사] (전등·동력 등의) 스위치를 끄기 [본문으로]
63. tweak ; 2. (기계・시스템 등에 대한 약간의) 수정[변경] [본문으로]
64. goody ; (pl. -ies), [주로 복수로], (goodie), (또한 비격식) 1. 먹기 좋은[맛있는] 것 ;; 2. 매력적인[갖고 싶은] 것 [본문으로]
65. pensioner ; [명사] (특히 英) (특히 정부에서 지급하는) 연금 수급자[수령자] ;; 참고 ; OAP, senior citizen [본문으로]
66. envision ; (장래의 일 따위) 를 마음속에 그리다; …을 상상하다, 이리저리 생각하다. [본문으로]
67. a shift to ; …쪽으로의 변화. [본문으로]
68. existentially ; 1. Of, relating to, or dealing with existence. ;; 2. Based on experience; empirical. [본문으로]
69. mammoth task ; 엄청난 과제[일] [본문으로]
70. integrate ; 2. ~ (sb) (into/with sth) (특히 다른 문화권 출신 사람이[을] 어떤 사회 구성원으로) 통합되다[시키다] ;; 참고 ; segregate [본문으로]
71. newcomer ; 새로 온 사람 ((to, in)); 신출내기, 풋내기 [본문으로]
72. platitudinous ; [형용사] 쓸데없는 말을 하는; <말 등이> 평범한, 하찮은 ;; 미국식 [plæ̀tətjú:dənəs] 영국식 [-tjú:-] [본문으로]
73. observer ; 4. 논평하는 사람, 평자(評者) [본문으로]
74. leading ; [형용사] 1. 이끄는, 선도하는, 지도[지휘]하는, 지도적인 ;; 2. 손꼽히는, 일류의, 뛰어난 [본문으로]
75. in reaction to ; ~의 반응으로, ~의 여파로, ~에 반응하여 [본문으로]
76. warn of ; ~을 경고하다 [본문으로]
77. red tape ; [U] (못마땅함) (관공서의) 불필요한 요식 ;; [어원스토리] 공식 문서를 빨간색이나 분홍색 테이프로 묶는 관습에서 나온 표현. [본문으로]
78. explainable ; [형용사] 설명[해석, 해명]할 수 있는 [본문으로]
79. criticism ; 1. [U , C] ~ (of sb/sth) | ~ (that…) (좋지 못한 점을 지적하는) 비판, 비난 [본문으로]
80. room for ; …의 여지, …을 위한 공간. [본문으로]
81. compromise ; 3. [U] 타협[절충](행위) [본문으로]
82. wing ; 5. OF ORGANIZATION | [C] (조직 내에서 특정한 기능・성향을 갖는) 계파[진영] ;; 참고 ; left wing, right wing [본문으로]
83. be[rise] in revolt against ; ~에 반기를 들다, 저항하다, 반항하다 [본문으로]
84. progress to ; (…을 하다가 이어서 다른) ~으로 넘어가다[이동하다] ;; …로 발전[진척]되다. [본문으로]
85. formal talks ; 공식 회담 [본문으로]
86. endorse ; 1. (공개적으로) 지지하다 [본문으로]
87. binding ; ~ (on/upon sb) 법적 구속력이 있는 [본문으로]
88. ballot ; (참고: poll) 1. [U , C] 무기명[비밀] 투표 [본문으로]
89. afterwards ; [부사] (美 주로 after・ward) 나중에, 그 뒤에 [본문으로]
90. conviction ; 1. [C , U] ~ (for sth) 유죄 선고[판결] ;; 2. [C , U] ~ (that…) (강한) 신념[의견] ;; 3. [U] 확신 [본문으로]
91. prolong ; [타동사][VN] 연장시키다, 연장하다 [본문으로]
92. resolve ; (격식) 1. [타동사][VN] (문제 등을) 해결하다 [본문으로]
93. deadlock ; 1. [sing., U] (협상의) 교착 상태 [본문으로]
94. respectable ; 1. 존경할 만한, 훌륭한; (옷차림 등이) 점잖은 ;; 2. 꽤 괜찮은, 부끄럽지 않은 [본문으로]
95. forge ; 1. [타동사][VN] 구축하다 [본문으로]
96. all concerned ; 모든 관계부서, 모든 관계자, 모든 관련자 [본문으로]
97. achievement ; 1. [C] 업적, 성취한 것 [본문으로]
98. still ; [부사] 1. 아직(도) (계속해서) ;; 2. 그런데도, 그럼에도 불구하고 [본문으로]
99. eligible ; 1. ~ (for sth) | ~ (to do sth) (자격・연령 등의 조건이 맞아서) …을 가질[할] 수 있는 [본문으로]
100. substantive ; 5. 내용 있는, 중요한, 가치 있는 ;; 미국∙영국 [səb|stӕntɪv ; |sʌbstəntɪv] [본문으로]
101. budget surplus ; [명사] 예산 흑자 [본문으로]
102. figures ; [명사] 수치 [본문으로]
103. window ; 6. (잠깐 동안의) 기회, (기회의) 창 ;; 9. 시간(대), 기간, 호기, 시기 [본문으로]
104. reformist ; [형용사] 개혁적인, 개혁을 원하는 [본문으로]
105. modernization ; [U] 현대화, 근대화 [본문으로]
106. international responsibility ; [international liability] 국제사회에 등장하는 여러 실체의 국제법상의 책임을 총칭하는 용어로서 국제책임이라는 말이 이용되는 경우가 있다. 국제책임의 핵심을 이루는 것은 국가의 국제법상의 책임, 즉 '국가책임’이지만 국제책임은 보다 넓게 그것 이외의 국제 조직과 개인의 국제법상의 책임을 가리키기도 한다. 국제조직의 국제책임에 대해서는 국제조직이 일반적으로는 국제법 주체(→국제법인격)이기 때문에 국가의 책임과는 별개로 인정할 수 있다. 개인의 국제책임은 뉘른베르크 재판과 도쿄 재판에서 평화에 대한 죄ㆍ인도에 대한 죄, 제네바협약에서 '집단살해죄’와 같은 개인의 국제범죄로서 문제가 된다. [본문으로]
107. tentative ; 1. (처리・합의 등이) 잠정적인 [본문으로]