At the Europaforum, hosted by public broadcaster WDR, the Chancellor talked about the most important aspects of Europe’s future.

In view of global challenges such as terrorism, climate change, migration and trade, Europe will only have any weight in the world if the nations of Europe pull together, said Chancellor Angela Merkel at the 21st WDR Europaforum. "No country can do that alone."

"A new start for Europe – with unity and solidarity". This was the banner, when WDR chief executive Tom Buhrow and WDR television editor-in-chief Sonia Seymour Mikich interviewed the Chancellor. The interview was part of the WDR’s Europaforum, held at the German Federal Foreign Office.

Europe needs compromises

The Chancellor again called for Economic and Monetary Union to be taken to the next level and for a European monetary fund to be founded. At the same time, she stressed the need to find compromises on the reforms of the EU. "Sometimes I am afraid that this ability to compromise is dwindling somewhat on all sides." She is quietly confident, she said, that Germany and France will come to an agreement on the question of monetary union. "I believe that we will move towards one another," said the Chancellor.

Angela Merkel reiterated her proposal for a common European asylum system and a system of flexible solidarity between member states, but some questions are still open, such as the reallocation of refugees. The people in developing countries must also be able to develop prospects of a better future. Angela Merkel thus called for rigorous action to address the root causes of displacement and a common development strategy, as laid out in the Marshall Plan with Africa.

It was the 21st time that the WDR had staged its International Europaforum. Back in 1997, WDR initiated the two-day forum in conjunction with the European Commission. Since then, it has been held once a year – in different European cities. At the international conference, top European politicians come together to discuss European integration.