Jacques Serais, edited by Romain Rouillard
modified to
7:43 a.m., January 22, 2023
The Franco-German couple celebrates this Sunday the 60th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty which seals the friendship between Paris and Berlin. A Franco-German council of ministers will be held at the Elysée before a joint press conference at 5 p.m. by the two leaders. In the hope of reconnecting the threads of a degraded relationship.
The departure of Angela Merkel then the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the Franco-German couple faltered. This Sunday, the two countries will try to ease tensions on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty which laid the foundations for Franco-German cooperation and friendship. Thus, 120 German parliamentarians and as many French will meet at the Sorbonne this Sunday morning to listen to the speeches of the Presidents of the National Assembly and the Bundestag, as well as those of Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz. A Franco-German Council of Ministers will follow (already postponed twice in recent months) then a joint press conference at 5 p.m. by the two leaders.
Between the different participants, the topics of conversation should not be missing. Where convergence of views could exist, many files are now causing friction on the line between Paris and Berlin. In particular the reform of the European electricity market, Germany refusing to dissociate the price of gas from that of electricity.
Macron and Scholz on the same line?
Divergences also remain regarding the response to the Inflation Reduction Act, the American protectionism plan. France is pushing to establish measures on a European scale while Berlin wants to favor its companies.
But nothing like a birthday to seal a reconciliation. Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz will therefore take care to insist on the fact that they are on the same line. Now it remains to know which one. The two leaders are particularly expected on the issue of strategic support for Ukraine while kyiv is pressing Berlin to send Leopard tanks, and urging Paris to send Leclerc tanks.