Chancellor of Germany, Helmut Kohl, contributed decidedly to the process
of Europea integration, throughout his fifteen years in office. During
this time, apart from overseeing the German unification, EEC enlarged
and treaties such as the Single European Act, Maasticht and Amsterdam
were signed.
Helmut Kohl was only three
years old when Nazism came to power, so he can been considered a after-nazi
period politician. After involvement in politics at a regional level,
he became leader of the Christian Democratic Union in 1973. Finally,
after some electoral failures, Kohl was appointed Chancellor of West
Germany in 1982.
Kohl was always emphatically
pro-European, constantly pushing for a united Europe to ally Germany
with its former enemies. As the leader of the main economic power
in Europe, Kohl played an integral and influential role in the affairs
of the European Community throughout his time as Chancellor.
In 1990 Kohl became deeply
involved in the unification of Germany, and when it was finally realised
he became the first Chancellor of post-war unified Germany.
His convictions on European
integration were greatly influenced by Adenauer, who strove to form
strong links within Europe following the divisions created by second
World War. Kohl followed by prioritising relations between West European
and East European countries and becoming a force behind the drive
for European Monetary Union.
He was finally defeated
in the 1998 election by Socialist Gerhard Schröder. Henceforth,
he and the CDU have been severely damaged by an election fund money-laundering
scandal.
Juan Carlos Ocaña
History
of the European Union: Integration Process and European Citizenship
