Following the inconclusive results of Italy's general election, Steinbrück referred to Italian political leaders Silvio Berlusconi and Beppe Grillo as "clowns". The head of Germany's most famous circus expressed his displeasure at being compared to the Berlusconi — apparently any good German clown has to be serious, too. 

More importantly, it showed that most Germans didn't seem too surprised by the lack of gravitas displayed by Steinbrück. And how could they be? The early weeks of his campaign were marked by a number of gaffes and ill-considered comments, compounded by his clumsy handling of questions about the amount of money he had earned on the speaking circuit before being chosen to lead the Social Democrats into the federal election.

And yet, his slip — for which he later apologised to Grillo, though not publicly —stands for something more: a mood swing in attitudes towards Europe. Once he would have been reprimanded for questioning the political consensus and the EU. Today, Steinbrück has got away with it. Some praised his fearless outspokenness.

While this may seem a vaguely amusing episode — or just typical of political debate on the continent — there are more far-reaching developments: a momentum is gathering that is intent on abandoning European efforts to prop up the common currency. To British eyes, this might not be worth mentioning, but part of Germany's raison d'être is to follow and reinforce the diktat of the grand old notion of peace and prosperity through European unity.