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Brussels: Taking the helm of the Eurogroup tomorrow is a significant change. Irishman Paschal Donohue will preside over the forum to bring together the first eurozone finance ministers to be taken over by Portugal ‘s Mario Sentino. The Guard change comes as Ireland manifests new forms of European form, and thanks to Brexit, the health and economic crisis itself gives new impetus to the European project.

The Minister of Finance in his country since 2017, Pascal Donoho is a 45-year-old man with an active look and a willing smile like many of his colleagues. He was elected in July to lead the Eurogroup for broken headphones, defeating Spanish Socialist candidate Nadia Calvio. Voting rights are secret, but there are rumors that the Fine Gay politician (affiliated with the European People’s Party) may have won 10 of the 19 votes cast.

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The arrival of an Irishman at the helm of the Eurogroup is not a trivial matter. Your country abandoned the dramatic economic crisis of 2008 and, above all, two referendum elections that cast doubt on Europeanism. In 2001 and 2008 Ireland rejected the Nice Treaty first and then the Lisbon Treaty. Both were later adopted by Dublin, the first after a declaration commemorating the country’s historic neutrality.

Brigitte Lafayette, a professor at the European University Institute in Florence, says: “Although the community is aware of the importance of money, Ireland has developed special ties with the United States and Great Britain for decades. Twenty years ago, there were those who said that Dublin was closer to Boston than Berlin. With the exit of the United Kingdom community building, the Union of Ireland became its geo-political-geo-economic presenter. Not an anchor among many, but anchor.

In the wake of the impact of the flu pandemic, nine countries had a crucial moment in March with their partners to make a joint loan to improve the fortunes of the continent. The Irish government (in addition to Italy, France and Spain) is one of the signatory governments. It was a miracle. Dublin was in alliance with the countries of the Dutch-led Hansatic League to oppose the mutualization of debts. “It was a logical and conscious choice,” she said.