Helpless and powerless?

The EU in the coronavirus pandemic - an FPL with Alexander Graf Lambsdorff

When the coronavirus pandemic swept across Europe in early March, little was seen or heard from Brussels. While the nation states took action and adopted radical measures to protect the health of their respective populations, the EU and its institutions remained in the background. However, according to FDP foreign policy expert Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, Brussels should not be judged too harshly. After all, the EU level has no competence in health protection and simply lacks the resources for resolute crisis management.

In an interview with Christoph von Marschall at the virtual Foreign Policy Lunch, the long-standing Member of the European Parliament also explored the question of how the EU will emerge from the crisis. It is true that the member states initially looked after themselves in the wake of the images from Bergamo - remember, for example, the German export ban on protective clothing. However, as the crisis progressed, the impetus to show solidarity with one another gained momentum and replaced national solo efforts. Perhaps, at least that is the hope, Europe will even emerge from the crisis stronger and more consolidated.