Episode 12: EU lawmaker Elmar Brok urges perspective after German elections

Channeling Brussels

This week, Channeling Brussels is looking at the aftermath of the German election September 24th...where the ruling coalition of Chancellor Angela Merkel lost a big chunk of support and a far-right newcomer seen as sympathetic to Nazi views gained enough to get seats in parliament, the first time such a group has reached the threshhold. While that's plenty upsetting to many people inside and outside Germany, my guest this week puts everything in perspective and says there's no calamity. Elmar Brok is the longest-serving member of the European Parliament, holding his seat since 1980. He's a member of Chancelllor Merkel's Christian Democratic party and has known her personally for decades. Brok has a lot to say about the relationship between Europe and the Trump Administration...the need for strong leadership in France so that Paris and Berlin can propel reform in Brussels...but we start with his belief that there's reason for concern but not for panic at the spike in support for the German far right. This week's Channeling Brussels is brought to you by the Atlantic Council. [Intro/Outro music "Happy Rock" by Bensound under a CC-BY-ND license (www.bensound.com/royalty-free-mus…rack/happy-rock/)]