Summary
Frits Boterman
Afscheid van de Duitse Sonderweg
Frits Boterman deals with the effects of the terrorist attacks in America and the war in Afghanistan on the foreign policy of Germany. The policy of the German prime minister (Bundeskanzler) Gerhard Schröder shows a large degree of continuity (the military contribution to the international actions in Kosovo and Macedonia) and at the same time there is an attitude in international affairs that shows discontinuity. For the first time since 1945 German troops are active in an area outside of Europe. The Afghanistan crisis has strengthened the position of Schröder as an international statesman (the Bonn Conference was a diplomatic success for Germany), but the problem is still how to deal with the uncertainty about the future of European security and defence policy. Although it is too early to determine the long-term effects of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, the position of the Federal Republic in the EU and the relationship with Russia have changed. The new situation brings two dangers: first, of undermining democracy by severe measures against terrorism which may threaten privacy and the rule of law; and in the second place there is the dilemma that Germany will be overstretched, in particular where the military role of the Bundeswehr is concerned. For Germany it has been a long way to the West, but in this election year the main question will be: can the Red-Green coalition survive?