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More than two centuries ago, Franco-Swiss Enlightenment writer Madame de Staël lamented that the German states had neglected “the great national power that had to be forged amid Europe’s colossi.” She was writing about how the politically fragmented German states had failed to combine their economic strength into a national power capable of challenging Napoleon Bonaparte. But the remark could easily apply to all of Europe today. The continent is neither small nor poor, but it has often struggled to translate its economic might into political leverage.

The joint French-German letter and nonpaper sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in early October is one encouraging sign that this may be changing. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz want the European Union to act much faster against persistent market distortions. In service of this goal, they are proposing a new mechanism that could ultimately restrict access to the European single market. Under their proposal, economic measures put forward by the commission could take effect unless a qualified majority of governments opposed them.

More than two centuries ago, Franco-Swiss Enlightenment writer Madame de Staël lamented that the German states had neglected “the great national power that had to be forged amid Europe’s colossi.” She was writing about how the politically fragmented German states had failed to combine their economic strength into a national power capable of challenging Napoleon Bonaparte. But the remark could easily apply to all of Europe today. The continent is neither small nor poor, but it has often struggled to translate its economic might into political leverage.

The joint French-German letter and nonpaper sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in early October is one encouraging sign that this may be changing. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz want the European Union to act much faster against persistent market distortions. In service of this goal, they are proposing a new mechanism that could ultimately restrict access to the European single market. Under their proposal, economic measures put forward by the commission could take effect........

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