Europe s Franco German Dream Team

Retuning Europe s Franco German Engine

The Return of Franco German Leadership

A decade later, West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer proposed a Franco German political union.

Enlightened Japanese elites are fascinated by Franco German reconciliation.

Without a functioning Franco German axis, the European project cannot succeed.

Those differences justify, retrospectively, the spirit of the Franco German initiative.

So the Franco German couple has lost the credit it once enjoyed.

He believes deeply in the centrality to Europe of the Franco German relationship.

The Maastricht Treaty of 1992 was probably the last masterpiece of Franco German creativity.

A new Franco German axis that makes France more competitive is just what Europe needs.

Rather than lead, the Franco German couple is constantly, and publicly, at each other s throats.

Second, Franco German cooperation has shown itself all the more indispensable in the enlarged Union.

Franco German reconciliation, the greatest success of the postwar period in Europe, would be in jeopardy.

The Franco German couple could no longer claim to speak for the EU as a whole.

The fate of the Franco German axis, in particular, hinges on the outcome of the referendum.

Achieving this requires, among other things, the recovery of the Franco German axis as Europe s driving force.

So what can be done to generate a new sense of leadership around the Franco German axis?

But French ideas are not necessarily central to a Europe no longer driven by the Franco German engine.

In the past, German governments rightly took pride in being seen by the smaller members as their best partner, essential for the Franco German leadership to work.

The effectiveness of Franco German resistance to American hegemony was qualified, though, by the reactions of other European states.

In particular, the Franco German engine of Europe should not be seen as a potential rival to the US.

PARIS Whoever wins September s parliamentary election in Germany, the time has come once again for a major Franco German initiative.

Of course, it is impossible to underestimate the combination of suspicion, tension, and exasperation that characterizes Franco German relations lately.

On June 16, 1940, Winston Churchill proposed a Franco British political union in the aftermath of the German invasion of France.

One sign of hope is that, following the recent Franco German summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the first time did not publicly oppose the idea of a European economic government.

Why even think of Bismarck if you want European amity? Injecting Bismarck s name into the debate will undoubtedly trouble Franco German cooperation.

Treaty changes are impossible therefore, different methods will need to be found, which makes the Franco German partnership all the more important.

Unfortunately, it has become clear that the Franco German engine, which is crucial to the EU acting in unison, is momentarily blocked.

It is now urgent that the insights that have animated Franco German relations be applied to all of Central and Eastern Europe.

France never engaged enthusiastically in the enlargement process, while the creation of the euro led to serious Franco German tensions between1993 and 1999.

France was a core part of Europe when the Union had only six members and reflected the primary goal of Franco German reconciliation.

Yet today s debate in France over the German model reminds one eerily of the discussions that followed France s defeat in the Franco Prussian War.

The plan called for the right flank of the German advance to bypass the French armies (which were concentrated on the Franco German border, leaving the Belgian border without significant French forces) and move south to Paris.

The Franco Prussian War was a conflict between France and Prussia, while Prussia was backed up by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and Bavaria.

These first Youth Hostels were an exponent of the vision of the German Youth Movement to let poor city youngsters breathe fresh air outdoors.

For decades, reconciliation and its most remarkable achievement the Franco German rapprochement was the trademark of the project to create an ever closer union in Europe.

Fortunately, Franco German disputes, while often seemingly fierce, do not last long, and can even serve to refocus people s attention on the importance of the relationship.

The Franco German relationship, central to much twentieth century conflict, now forms the core of modern Europe. The goal should be the same for China and Japan.

After initially trying to delay reunification, France embraced it, in exchange for Germany s reaffirming its commitment to European unity and Franco German leadership of the European community.

In a few years, Franco German reconciliation, the trans Atlantic alliance and the building of Europe enabled our continent to renew the loftiest traditions of its civilization.

In that seemingly long gone era, common initiatives for Europe were the rule, and a Franco German proposal usually constituted an acceptable compromise for Europe as a whole.

What is required, therefore, is an open bilateral French German dialogue about a comprehensive realignment of the monetary union. Treaty changes are impossible therefore, different methods will need to be found, which makes the Franco German partnership all the more important.

BERLIN Whether or not the French presidency of the EU, which begins next month, is successful will depend in large part on whether Franco German cooperation can be revived.

Europe s Franco German locomotive has broken down and ratification has stopped, even though member states that had yet to ratify the treaty could have completed the process of ratification.