Government consultations: Merz meets Macron – Ministerrat despite the political crisis in Paris

Overshadowed by a severe political crisis in Paris, the German and the French government meet this Friday on the Côte d’Azur on advice on economic and security policy. The so -called Ministerial Council in a 19th century in the coastal city of Toulon is headed by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and President Emmanuel Macron. It is the first Franco-German meeting in this format since the change of government in Berlin.

Merz’s half cabinet takes part in the Council of Ministers. Among others, Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD), Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche (CDU), Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) have announced themselves.

French cabinet on call

You will meet a French government that may soon no longer be in office. France’s Prime Minister François Bayrou will ask the question of trust on September 8. It is expected to lose it and the government fall, new elections are not excluded. Even if it is not about the presidency, Macron is politically weakened by the crisis.

The Chancellor and the President conjured up the Franco-German “axis” in the EU at a meeting on the evening before in the summer residence of Macrons. “Germany and France play a central role in this European Union in this European continent,” said Merz. Macron emphasized that after the change of government in Berlin, France and Germany “had a new chapter in Franco-German relationships”.

Dispute over important armaments project

Macron found a significantly better personal connection to Merz than to his predecessor Olaf Scholz, to which the ratio remained undercooled until the end. So far, however, the differences in content between the two countries have not been reduced.

Both sides actually wanted to reach an agreement with a security policy prestige project by the Council of Ministers: the Aircraft System FCAS, which is more than a fighter plane because it should fly with drones in a network. Shortly before the trip to France, Merz had to admit that this time horizon could not be troubled. Now the end of the year is the new target brand. In Paris there is talk of “temporary difficulties” that would have to be overcome. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) now wants to invite the countries involved to clarify to Berlin in October.

Although Merz and Macron demonstrate unity, for example on a trip to Kiev or just to Moldau, there is no progress in other Franco-German arguments. Paris advertises for European community debt to strengthen the armaments industry, Berlin rejects this. France wants to continue to use and promote nuclear energy, Germany has got out. And it also hooks the trade agreement between the EU and the Latin American Mercosur countries. Paris continues to reject the agreement, Berlin relies on a quick conclusion.

Joint economic projects planned

So what will you be able to agree on in Toulon? In any case, an economic declaration with eight strategic concepts and around 20 lighthouse projects that both countries want to tackle together quickly is planned. And an explanation is also planned for security policy. Following the Council of Ministers, the Franco-German Defense and Security Council meets in the afternoon, in which there is talk of the production of weapons systems in Europe and Franco-German armaments projects in a smaller circle.