First published 2016
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble sits across from his French counterpart Michel Sapin in an intimate setting far from Brussels' crisis rooms. Two prominent journalists, Ulrich Wickert and Dominique Seux, guide their conversation through decades of European financial history. The ministers speak candidly about Greece's economic collapse, the euro's uncertain future, and budget deficits that threaten European unity. Their discussion moves from the refugee crisis's mounting costs to globalization's double-edged effects on their nations. As the conversation deepens, both men reveal personal stories from their careers and reflect on the human elements behind policy decisions. The Franco-German friendship anchors their dialogue, but money remains the central tension. Schäuble and Michel must navigate competing national interests while preserving European cooperation. Their frank exchange reveals how personal relationships between leaders shape continental politics and economics.
Genres: history, international-relations, economics, non-fiction, european-literature, 21st-century, german-literature, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Brussels, Europe
Period: 21st-century
Hardcover · Hoffmann u Campe Vlg GmbH