Merkel heads EU, vows constitution for Europe

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NICOSIA, Cyprus -- Angela Merkel took over the European Union Jan. 1 with a mountain of contentious issues, unsolved problems and the bloc's expansion to 27 members.

She has pledged to give Europe a constitution, or at least its draft. Her critics as well as her supporters are skeptical. Germany's first woman chancellor is facing the bloc's six-month rotating presidency at a time of increasing doubt in Europe's cohesion and of its ability to act together on crucial issues.

"People are losing faith in the European project and nationalism is re-emerging," said the conservative Greek daily Kathimerini. "The acute disagreements between states cannot be disguised by diplomatic niceties."

Poland's President Lech Kaczynski, reflecting the mood of other former communist EU members, said: "What interests the Poles is the future of Poland and not that of the EU."

Mrs. Merkel's task is compounded by Germany's role as current president of the Group of Eight richest industrial nations, which includes Russia.

Perhaps hastily, Mrs. Merkel has assigned the German presidency the task of drafting a new European constitution -- or at least preparing the outline of a document acceptable to all member states, including Bulgaria and Romania, which joined at the start of this year.

The previous constitutional treaty accepted by 18 members was rejected in referendums in 2005 by France and the Netherlands. Since then, the number of "Euro-skeptics" has grown, and today it includes Britain, Poland and the Czech Republic. Several other members are uncertain.

"We cannot perform miracles in six months," said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, casting doubt on Mrs. Merkel's ability to prepare a satisfactory draft, which some European pundits have already described as "mission impossible."

Yet most European officials see the planned constitution as an essential framework for decision-making. Such a document has to be accepted by all member countries. One veto can destroy it or send it back to the drawing board.

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