Berlin is expressing doubt about the European Union’s ability to withstand the rise of nationalist parties and the pressure from the Trump administration. This unprecedented skepticism in Germany has raised fears of lasting weakening, or even the gradual marginalization, of Europe as it exists today.
I come to this from an Italian perspective, where the EU is very much seen as a given, not something that needs to be continually construed. This leads to a certain passivity and lack of “propositivity”, which we can all witness. Italy has become a follower on EU matters. This is also manifest in national political and media discussions on everything EU-related: there is some discussion on what the EU should do, but hardly any on what Italian leaders can and should do to make that happen.