What would be your message to the member states to join such a model?

That we have to stop occupying ourselves with too many trivial problems because we don’t get close to the particularly big issues. We can’t confuse a united Europe with a standardised Europe. And we can’t forget that it’s our cultural differences in particular that make us strong.

The FDP recently declared an interest in joining forces with Macron’s party “La République en Marche” in the new parliamentary term. Why?

Because what’s driving both parties is the idea of a common, pro-European platform. Currently, there are extreme forces on both sides. Our opposition is rejecting a free and outward-looking Europe of trade and calling for national isolationism. At the same time, with the conservatives and the socialists, we have two weary, fatigued groupings who believe that everything is quite good the way it is and want to continue to muddle through. This is very dangerous.

The only thing which can break things up is a forward-looking, pro-European force which has the will to reform and wants to bring to bear the original EU values more strongly again.

That sounds all very well and good – but Germany seems hesitant to follow Emmanuel Macron’s ideas for reform. What do you expect from the German government?

So far, nothing at all is coming from our government unfortunately, it has no vision for the EU’s future. In the Grand Coalition, there has been a total failure in such debates for two or three years. And in Brussels, similarly to Germany, there are attempts to maintain the status quo by balancing compromises and to pull through.

We also don’t have any leadership in the international context. Brexit should have been a warning shot for us. If a partner, who was important for Europe’s future – and was also very close to us in terms of substance – is so dissatisfied with the EU that it actually wants to leave.

This should be an opportunity for us to work on a new foundation of the European project. The EU should be so attractive that everyone wants to be involved, instead of everybody considering in turn whether are better leaving. All this also has a lot to do with the lack of leadership from the German government on the subject of Europe.

And, in the international context, we’re perceived as weakened because Europe’s so pulled apart. It’s so easy to play us against each other. Whether Trump is now talking to Merkel or Macron for longer – by thinking about these kinds of things, the important issues are quickly forgotten. [...]

Do you think that the European elections in May will show a significant boost for populist forces?

That’s down to the voters themselves because it will also depend on the turnout. Populists vote in elections and those who don’t, let others decide for them instead.

Something which concerns me personally is that citizens recognise that these elections are a fate-defining decision for a reformed Europe. Therefore, we have to show in a credible way that we take the existing problems seriously and address them.

The EU’s credibility is undermined if citizens deprive the EU institutions of the ability to act, and even the will to do so. These elections aren’t just about ensuring that the populists don’t receive too many votes, as their absence won’t make the EU stronger either. It’s more about opening the door for renewal.

Full interview