Germany to wait out major EU decisions until post-2017

Significance The Greek crisis has exposed Germany's euro-area dominance more clearly than ever -- to both Germany's partners and Germany, and to the discomfort of both. Merkel's decisions in the crisis have reflected in part her wish to buy time until after the 2017 German and French elections, and her belief in the continuing importance of the Franco-German relationship. Impacts Belying German hopes the three-year Greek deal will buy time until after 2017, October could see a new clash over debt relief and the IMF. Given the alternatives in Paris, Merkel will hope more strongly than usual for a new French president from her own party family. Waiting for stronger leadership in Paris could risk fuelling French eurosceptics' charges that France lacks influence. Seeing major 'future EU' initiatives only after the 2017 German and French polls, Berlin would like the UK EU referendum also over by then. Germany's wish to postpone major EU reforms will limit the scope of any pre-referendum deal with London.