July 14, MEPs inaugurate the newly elected European parliament, many with the aim to strengthen the assembly's influence on European affairs. But the recent ruling by German constitutional court on the Lisbon Treaty, has called into question the future of European construction.

Columnist Wolfgang Münchau has delivered his insights on the subject over at the Financial Times. Elsewhere the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports that Bavaria’s Christian Democrats, in the light of the court ruling, now seek a greater say in European decisions. According to CSU party chairman Horst Seehofer, the law Germany has to pass to pave the way for ratification of the Lisbon Treaty should allow the two chambers of German parliament to weigh in on every decision made by EU ministers. Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung, reports that this proposition, established in Austria since 1995, is dividing the ranks of the CSU: “Excessive national input would be foolish and would paralyse EU decision-making,” opines the leader of the CSU group in the European Parliament. “More control over European decisions is a must,” ripostes Seehofer. His bid is backed by the left, which also calls for maximum sway at EU level. Chancellor Angela Merkel is supposed to settle the matter on July 14.