'Dear Friedrich': Merz, Macron seek 'restart' of Franco-German ties

Yahoo

07-05-2025

Less than 24 hours after taking office, Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Wednesday, as the two leaders seek to revitalize relations and strengthen joint European leadership.
Merz received a warm welcome by Macron at the Élysée Palace, with both leaders embracing and patting each other on the back, before disappearing into the president's official residence arm in arm.
Merz, who needed an unprecedented two attempts to be elected chancellor by parliament on Tuesday, a historic stumble that some observers say may foreshadow potential discord within his own coalition, arrived in Paris eager to get to work.
Embarking on the trip which will also take him to Warsaw, the conservative politician said he was aiming for "a bit of a restart" with Paris and Warsaw, Germany's two biggest neighbours.
In Paris, he and Macron, who is said to have struggled to get along with Merz's predecessor Olaf Scholz, were expected to set the course to strengthen their countries' leadership role in Europe in light of the radical change of course in US foreign policy under President Donald Trump.
"We will give new impetus to the Franco-German friendship and we will further intensify our cooperation at all levels," said Merz at a joint press conference shortly after his arrival in the French capital.
Europe can only overcome its challenges if Germany and France work together, Merz said. "That is why Emmanuel Macron and I have agreed on a new Franco-German start for Europe."
Macron, who addressed the German leader as "dear Friedrich" and thanked him for granting "me the honour of beginning your mandate here in Paris.
"We want action to be systematically developed together. We want to act together on the issues that we consider to be priorities: Sovereignty, security, competitiveness."
Merz, who considers himself a Francophile, is looking to restore relations with the French, and it was clear from the press conference that he and Macron get on well.
Immediately tackling an issue shunned by his predecessor, Merz said he is planning to quickly begin talks with France and Britain on how to organize Europe's nuclear deterrence in the future.
"I see the fundamental need for us to discuss with France and also with the UK the question of how we can continue to provide such a response of deterrence together in future," Merz said, while stressing that he envisions a supplement to the US nuclear defence umbrella, not "a substitute."
En route to Paris, Merz also said he was hoping for a restart in relations with Warsaw, noting that his trip aimed to send a signal "internally and externally" that he was committed to good cooperation with both countries.
Merz had previously announced that there would be a tightening of border checks and increased turning back of migrants from his first day in office. Poland is sceptical about the measures, however.
Merz has met both Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk several times.
As leader of the opposition, he repeatedly accused his predecessor of letting relations with both of them slide.
Merz is accompanied in Paris and Warsaw by new Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. In a sign that Merz wants the government's foreign policy to follow a clear line, the chancellor and foreign minister belong to the same party - something that hasn't happened in Germany for almost 60 years.