![1906463[1].jpg](https://cdn2.opendemocracy.net/media/original_images/19064631_kARPDdD.jpg)
Wolfgang Schäuble, 2013. Demotix/Gonçalo Silva. All rights reserved.The recent developments in European politics that followed the Greek election have shed light on an interesting aspect of the role of the German government within the EU political system. It would seem that the German government perceives itself as operating under a European mandate to defend the policy of austerity. Germany has not given any reason to doubt that this perception of itself is sincere. What remains less clear are the grounds supporting it.
In a recent exchange with his Greek counterpart in Berlin, Mr. Schäuble, the German Minister of Finance, pointed out that not only the Greek government is supported by democratic mandate but so are all other national governments. So much is true. What remains puzzling is that Mr. Schäuble remains convinced that the peoples of Europe have given a mandate for financial austerity, which is favored by the German government.
What gives Mr. Schäuble such certainty? For a start he cannot be referring to any mandate from the European Parliament, because Parliament was never asked to vote on the austerity measures. On the contrary Parliament has proclaimed the illegitimacy of the troika from the point of view of EU law. Alternatively he might be pointing at a mandate that was generated by the representatives of national governments at the level of EU institutions. But one would be hard pressed to describe as democratic any of the decisions taken within the existing organs of government representatives.
