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EU president for the first half of 2007, Germany has about six remaining weeks to push through Chancellor Angela Merkel's ambitious agenda before Portugal takes up the presidency. The agenda includes resolution of the Serbia-Kosovo crisis, breaking the deadlock over the EU constitution, and a partnership agreement with Russia. Though Merkel has achieved some of the goals on her agenda, the holes left behind are only getting dangerously wider and darker.
The European Union gives each of its member states a six-month term as union president, regardless of its size or power in the region. This means Malta and Luxembourg have just as much power as Germany, France and the United Kingdom. Normally, the union can only resolve its largest issues when led by these latter three powerhouse countries, and sometimes Italy. Therefore when Germany became the union's leader, many members expected Berlin to shake up not only European politics, but also the Continent's relations with its neighbor, Russia. Moreover, many Europeans realized that the last heavyweight for a decade would be France -- which was one of the first countries in the union to veto the EU constitution, and which lacks Germany's determination to confront its aggressive neighbors. This gives many member states motivation to at least quickly try to sort through some of the larger obstacles the European Union faces.
Merkel is expected to accomplish one large goal during her country's presidency -- resolution of Kosovo's final status. Though the idea is still in emotionally charged negotiations, Serbia has finally decided on a government, and a decision on Kosovo's inevitable independence is expected soon.
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