GERMANY’S FAST HOLD ON THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT

EMMANUEL TODD GERMANY’S FAST HOLD ON THE EUROPEAN An interview CONTINENTby Olivier Berruyer This interview of Emmanuel Todd was made for the sitewww.les-crises.frin August 2014. I thank him for the trust he put in our site. My thanks also go to all the volunteers who have worked to give its shape to this exchange, and I am wishing you a good read. Olivier Berruyer Translation: Anne-Marie de Grazia Artwork and cover illustration: Philippe Deville Portrait of Emmanuel Todd: Xavier Malafosse 2 28 I France has put itself in a state of voluntary servitude in relaon to Germany Olivier Berruyer: Mr.Todd, how do you see the present crisis with Russia ? Emmanuel Todd: There’s something strange, unreal in the present international system. Something isn’t right: the whole world is lashing out on Russia, a country of only 145 million inhabitants, which has sprung back, it’s true, but which nobody can imagine will become again a dominant power on the planetary, or even the European scale. The strength of Russia is basically defensive. Maintaining the integrity of its immense territory with such a small population, comparable to the size of Japan’s, is already problematic. Russia is a balancing power: its nuclear arsenal and its energetic autonomy allow it to play as a counterweight to the United States. It can afford to welcome Snowden and, paradoxically, contribute in this way to the defence of civil liberties in the West.