European Journal | Europe - The German Answer

Germany is the largest country in the European Union and the biggest contributor to the EU's budget. So no matter who is chosen the country's next chancellor on September 27,his or her voice will carry weight in Europe.Many European observers have the feeling that,when it comes to the EU,Germans are becoming less euphoric and more pragmatic. In EU jargon,the German answer effectively means no answer . Observers say the Germans' constitutional reservations about the Lisbon Treaty are just one indication of this. Is Germany the motor driving the EU or the brakes holding it back?