Spain Takes Italy's Place at the EU’s Top Table
When Macron wanted to scheme about the European Commission, he did so with Pedro Sanchez. Rome should beware of Madrid’s steady rise.
Nations rise and nations fall.
Photographer: FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFPAsk anyone which are the two most influential countries in the EU, and the answer is always the same: France and Germany. Berlin and Paris have spearheaded all the important moves in the history of European integration, starting with the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community.
Yet because of its size and commitment to the European project, Italy has often retained a leading role in running the EU. For the past few years, it was the only country to retain two of the five presidencies of European institutions: Mario Draghi led the European Central Bank, while Antonio Tajani presided over the European Parliament. The other three top positions – head of the Commission, of the European Council and of the Eurogroup of finance ministers – went respectively to Luxembourg, Poland and Portugal.