As a Catholic from the Rhineland, Friedrich Merz is heir to the CDU’s Franco-German policy, from Konrad Adenauer to Helmut Kohl and Wolfgang Schäuble. While Franco-German rhetoric and reflexes are deeply ingrained in him, their results must nevertheless be put into perspective.
The French President and the German Chancellor have met on numerous occasions since the February 2025 elections and Friedrich Merz’s election as Chancellor and seem to like each other. But will this “chemistry” be enough to meet the challenges of the Franco-German “reset” and its vital stakes for Europe? Are the stated ambitions of the Franco-German Council of Ministers, which is being held in Toulon on August 29, the first for the government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, an opportunity to “reset Franco-German relations for Europe”? In the current context, the Franco-German Council of Ministers must rise to this challenge by adopting clear, concrete, and understandable roadmaps that will enable a realistic approach to key issues, whether in defence and the defence industry – particularly with regard to the follow-up to the programs for the aircraft and tank of the future, FCAS and MGCS – energy, trade, and European competitiveness.
About the author:
Paul Maurice is Secretary General of The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) at Ifri, where he focuses on German domestic policy, Franco-German relations within the European Union, and German foreign and security policy.