European MPs Divided: Italy Supports, Germany Opposes Further Integration Plans
The European economic union is not fully complete, making it vulnerable to economic shocks. A survey of French, German, and Italian members of national parliaments showed differing opinions on further European integration. Italy tends to support more integration, while Germany is often against it. France falls in between. Members affiliated with the Socialists and Democrats group are more supportive of new fiscal institutions and risk-sharing mechanisms, while those affiliated with the European People's Party are less so. The recent agreement on financial transfers and Eurobonds at the European summit reflects some of the survey's suggested reforms, but the future of European integration remains uncertain.