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Berlin (AFP) – French and German leaders gathered in Berlin on Sunday to remember the victims of the European wars and also presented a united front to fight the global unrest caused by US President Donald Trump.
President Emmanuel Macron will visit the former French enemy become a key EU partner from 10:00 GMT for a wreath-laying ceremony for victims of war and tyranny, a parliamentary speech and talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Macron and Merkel are both supporters of Europe and committed internationalists who have resisted the rise of populist, eurosceptic and anti-immigration forces in Europe and the isolationist position of "America's". First, Trump.
At their second meeting in a week, the two men will probably deepen the idea of a future European army, a proposal that has raised Trump's criticism.
As the world remembered the First World War, which ended a century ago this month, Macron has repeatedly invoked its horrors to impress upon its people that the rise of nationalism in the world is destabilizing. new world.
He suggested building a future European army, symbol of a united continent.
The proposal was supported by Merkel, although Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Friday that France and Germany were jumping arms, saying that the continent's security could only be guaranteed by the fact that the country was in danger. ; NATO.
On Tuesday, the American leader mocked the two European powers by tweeting that "it was Germany in both world wars – how did that go for France?" and adding that "they were beginning to learn German in Paris before the arrival of the United States".
– Impaired leaders –
A week after world leaders attended the centennial events of the Armistice in Paris, Merkel and Macron would also meet again to resume their dialogue on ways to strengthen the European Union.
Since the joint meeting of their cabinet on Europe in June, the challenges have multiplied: Brexit is approaching and a fiscal conflict is intensifying between Brussels and Italy.
The talks also come at a time when the two leaders are politically weakened, which reduces the traditional engine of the Franco-German engine within the bloc.
While Trump happily tweeted a few days ago, Macron's outstanding approval ratings fell in the mid-twenties.
And Merkel, after 13 years in power, announced in recent weeks the beginning of the end of his reign by refusing to take over the presidency of his Christian Democratic Center-Right Party (CDU).
She has promised to fill her fourth term, which will last until 2021, but many observers expect Merkel to be dismissed earlier by arguing within her CDU or the unfortunate coalition in New York. three parties that she directs.
All of this has made the substantial reform initiatives of the Franco-German power couple even less likely.
There is already a lot of frustration in Paris about Merkel's perception that Macron's bold reform plans are lagging behind, particularly the creation of a euro zone with a large common budget 39, a finance minister.
– delicate issues –
The joint army plan must also deal with thorny issues, among which the traditional reluctance of postwar Germany to send combat troops abroad and the fact that it is the Parliament that must approve military missions.
The next major political test for Macron and Merkel will be the elections to the European Parliament in May, when their centrist parties will fight against populist and far-right forces.
Macron's trip to Berlin sees him for the first time joining President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at 11:00 am (10:00 GMT) during the "Youth for Peace" event where young people will present "100 Ideas for Peace" .
From 11.30, Macron, Steinmeier and Merkel will participate in the ceremony at the Neue Wache, a former neo-Classical Prussian military guardhouse, which serves as a central memorial to the victims of war and dictatorship in Germany.
At 12.30, Macron delivers a speech in front of the glass-domed Bundestag parliamentary chamber housed in the historic Reichstag building, which still bears traces of the Second World War.
When Macron again meets Merkel at the Chancery at 14:10 GMT, they will make statements to the media without giving a joint press conference.
