British-led EU Reforms Will Be Slow Going

British Prime Minister David Cameron received German Chancellor Angela Merkel in London on Jan. 7. Though the official reason for the meeting was the G7 summit in Dresden to be held in June, the two leaders also discussed a hot topic: Cameron's push for reform of the European Union's institutional framework.

Germany is interested in keeping the United Kingdom in the European Union and will help London stay close to the continental bloc. However, Merkel is in no rush to aid Cameron. British general elections will be held in May, and Berlin will wait to see who is in charge in London before making any substantial moves. The elections will likely lead to a fragmented parliament, and long coalition talks will follow. As a result, Berlin sees no need to make concessions to a government that could be voted out of office in less than five months.