COLUMNISTS Largely unnoticed, there was an attempted coup d’état of sorts in Europe last week. Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, let it be known that he wants to remain in his role of “president of Europe” for another year. No, he will not prevent the Czechs and the Swedes from assuming the European Union’s rotating six-month presidency during 2009. But since the two countries are not members of the eurozone, Mr Sarkozy wants to remain the de facto president of the eurozone until the end of 2009 when Spain, a eurozone country, takes over from Sweden.
President of what? It would be too easy to dismiss this as yet another example of Mr Sarkozy’s hyperactive grandstanding – and, believe me, I am sorely tempted. But we should not dismiss it as a mere stunt because events are moving in his favour. Germany was never keen on what the French call gouvernement économique , which is what this is all about. But I am no longer so sure whether the immovable obstacle of Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, will be able to withstand the irresistible force of Mr Sarkozy for much longer. I can think of six reasons why Mr Sarkozy might prevail in the end.
