Traditionally this virtually all powerful axis within the EU has been a balance with The French President being Socialist while the Chancellor is a Christian Democrat or vica versa, so there was a balance and compromise was the result of deliberations more often than not! The current economic crisis we are mired in has been presided over by a right wing French President Sarkozy ( Now gone to his reward thankfully) and a right wing chancellor in Merkel, giving a 'merkozy' dictat in the EU which is very right wing! Was a socialist axis ever possible and what would be the consequences of it! I suspect a 'Hollandel' axis will be much more favourable towards ordinary Europeans, mind you it might be a bit more of a 'Merkande' dictat! Of course if The Social Democrats win the next Wahl then you have a socialist axis at least in name!