The time for effusion has passed, and the hard work – in other words, the most challenging part – remains to be finished to give substance to the “revival” of the Franco-German partnership. For their first public exchange on Wednesday, May 7, in Paris, the new German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and French president Emmanuel Macron, took genuine pleasure in staging their initial engagement.
“Emmanuel” and “Friedrich” both emphasized their “friendship” and “deep attachment” to the “gift” that is Franco-German cooperation, agreeing on the need to revive it after almost four unproductive years under Olaf Scholz’s tenure. Modest announcements were made, such as the more regular convening of a Franco-German defense council, which already exists, and the promise of deeper cooperation in various fields − including defense − beyond the Franco-German aircraft and tank project or long-range missiles.
The much-anticipated meeting was overshadowed by the difficulties faced by the new chancellor the day before during his election in the Bundestag, which required two successive votes due to a lack of victory in the first round. This mishap, partly due to defections within his own ranks, has politically weakened him. Until late Tuesday, it was uncertain whether the new chancellor could travel to Paris and Warsaw the following day, as had been announced for weeks. “I promised I would be here on time,” he joked in English, greeting Macron at the Elysée Palace on Wednesday morning.
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