French, German leaders all smiles as they meet over spats
FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron hosted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for lunch yesterday, with the leaders hoping to pare back differences on energy and defence.
Both leaders were all smiles as Scholz climbed out of his Mercedes in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace to shake hands, although the German appeared to sidestep Macron’s attempts to put an arm around him.
Hackles have been raised on both sides since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – less than three months after Scholz took office last December – prompted crisis decisions taken under the pressure of the war and its knock-on effects.
Berlin’s move to spend up to $200 billion subsidising gas prices and refusal to consider an EU-wide energy price cap nettled Paris and other European capitals, which fear the effect on their energy costs.
And France also sees commitments to co-operate on defence procurement floundering, given Germany’s plans for a shared missile shield with other Nato nations using American equipment.
Longer-term projects to jointly develop new fighter jets and tanks also face reluctance from big arms companies.
The depth of the differences was laid bare by the recent delay to a regular joint cabinet meeting between Paris and Berlin. And limited expectations for the talks were clear from the schedule released by Macron’s office, which did not provide for a joint press conference.
“The two leaders will continue their talks on defence, the economy and energy with the aim of strengthening Franco-German co-operation,” the presidency said.
Differences between the EU’s two largest and most populous economies have come at exactly the wrong time.
Russia’s invasion and the resulting disruption to the energy system have coincided with rising tensions between China and the West.
Moscow’s burning of bridges with Europe means Germany faces “a change to its model whose destabilising nature must not be underestimated”, Macron has said.
That was made clear earlier this year when Scholz announced a “new era” in German defence policy supported with massive spending on its creaking military.
Many observers suggest that spats are inherent to the relationship between two large nations with interests that often diverge.
“This French-German relationship has always been made up of chilly patches, moments of tension and then warming up again,” said Alexandre Robinet-Borgomano, a German politics expert.
“It’s often during moments of crisis where a European response is indispensable that France and Germany manage to overcome their differences to propose a joint solution.”
That may be more difficult with leaders who have yet to develop personal warmth. “Macron and (former chancellor Angela) Merkel texted every day. I don’t think (Macron and Scholz) are talking every day,” a diplomatic source said.