Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron conspicuously dispensed with interpreters on Wednesday, July 23, at the Villa Borsig in Berlin on the shores of Lake Tegel, for the French president's first visit to Germany since the chancellor took office on May 6. Both leaders were eager to demonstrate that each fully understood the other's language, signaling a reboot in French-German relations after years of mutual misunderstandings. Merz was also careful not to repeat the culinary missteps of his predecessor: the dinner menu did not include fischbrötchen – the famous pickled fish sandwich served by former chancellor Olaf Scholz during the failed French-German summit in Hamburg in 2023 – but instead featured a more refined veal saddle with chanterelle mushrooms.

Beyond these gestures of goodwill, the chancellor and the president still faced the challenge of delivering results that matched their stated ambitions. The evening offered no clear answers. "The relationship seems to have restarted on a better footing, which is to be welcomed. But naturally, the points of contention have not disappeared," said Stefan Seidendorf, deputy director of the Franco-German Institute in Ludwigsburg, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. 

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That leaves just five short weeks for the two governments to reach consensus. That is very little time given the breadth of their differences, but both heads of state seemed keenly aware of the need to move quickly. Macron's term ends in 2027, and Merz already faces early divisions within his coalition. Added to this are uncertainties over Germany's evolving role in Europe, which could increasingly weigh on bilateral dialogue. 

>> Read the full article on the Le Monde website.