On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty, Emmanuel Macron will pay a state visit to Germany in early July, the first by a French head of state to the neighboring country since 2000, the German government announced on Monday.
Then-President Charles de Gaulle and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer signed the Élysée Treaty on January 22, 1963, which sealed the friendship between France and Germany. In honor of that, Macron, together with fellow president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, will visit various German regions from July 2 to 4.
According to the French government, the trip will be marked by “joint preparation for the next major European and international events”. For example, the summit on a new financial pact will take place in Paris on 22 and 23 June, the European Council on 29 and 30 June and the NATO summit is scheduled for 11 July.
Friction on range of topics
The state visit follows months of friction between Paris and Berlin over a range of issues, including nuclear energy, CO2 emissions from cars, relations with Washington and European defense.
Next Tuesday, Macron will receive German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock. The next day she joins the European Council of Ministers. Her French counterpart Catherine Colonna is expected in Berlin on Thursday for talks with the German, Jordanian and Egyptian foreign ministers about the situation in the Middle East. In addition, the two governments will meet again in Germany in the fall.
“Like a good marriage”
“It’s like a good marriage, you can always give new impetus to keep it good and intense, that’s exactly what happens in Franco-German relations,” said Chancellor Olaf Schlolz’s spokesman.
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