Franco-German nonalignment causes halt in EU decision-making

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Financial Times
3 Oct 2023 17:58

The disagreements between France and Germany delay major decision-making in the EU, including the size of a top-up to the bloc's six-year shared budget.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron prior to a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on May 9, 2022. (AP)

Nonalignment between France and Germany has made it difficult for the EU to make decisions regarding multiple topics such as funding Ukraine to rules overseeing national budgets, according to a new report published by the Financial Times (FT) citing EU officials from about six member countries.

Primarily, disagreements between Paris and Berlin have stemmed from diverging policy approaches as well as intergovernmental disagreements that have emerged as a result of the coalition government in Germany.

Inter-German disagreements, for example, have made it difficult for Berlin to take a clear position regarding issues such as energy, reported the FT.

Mujtaba Rahman, Europe managing director at Eurasia Group risk consultancy, told the FT that "Scholz and Macron are both confronting significant domestic challenges, their chemistry isn’t great and the bilateral institutional and senior official links are also quite strained," adding that "this has aggravated their ability to play nice together in the EU."

With several meetings set to take place this upcoming October, including a summit in Spain, the issues bogged down have been delegated to the two leaders by the European Commission in an effort to allow Paris and Berlin to find their common ground before the rest of the EU restarts negotiations.

Among the main challenges the two have been faced with is the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which is the size of a top-up to the EU’s six-year shared budget, as well as modifications on rules determining the amount of money nations can borrow and spend under the Stability and Growth Pact.

The FT cited a senior EU official as saying that “the two of them [Macron and Scholz] just need to sit down in a room together and hash [things] out,” reaffirming that "absent that, it’s pointless for the rest of them trying to find consensus."

French-German tensions hamper key EU decisions: German MEP

A prominent German Member of the European Parliament (MEP) said strained relations between France and Germany are causing delays in crucial EU decision-making, including agreements related to defense in Ukraine and trade deals, The Guardian reported.

David McAllister, who chairs the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee and holds a significant role within the opposition Christian Democrats party, has expressed his apprehension regarding the limited communication between Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron. This lack of contact, he suggested, is resulting in delays concerning critical decisions related to topics such as battle tanks, fighter jets, and the negotiation of a future trade agreement with Latin America.

"At the moment we’re seeing a remarkable lack of internal coordination between Paris and Berlin. And that is not good," McAllister said as quoted by The Guardian.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he emphasized that while the Franco-German partnership, historically regarded as the EU's guiding influence, does not encompass all of Europe's dynamics, it remains a pivotal element. He also noted that effective collaboration between these two nations is essential for the functioning of various initiatives and processes within the EU.

"In the end, Paris and Berlin need to agree to smooth things … and this is where I criticize the German government. I don’t think we have seen such little cooperation between Paris and Berlin as we are witnessing at the moment," McAllister added.

Meanwhile, Angela Merkel, the former German Chancellor, has reportedly developed a strong rapport with four French presidents, including Macron, during her 16-year tenure. Experts concur that the EU currently lacks this robust collaborative connection.

One of the most "prominent examples", as highlighted by McAllister, involves the struggle to reach agreements regarding the development of the next-generation European battle tank, a critical component of the primary combat system, be it for use in Ukraine or any potential conflict zone in the future.