He made it his ritual. When the summer break comes to an end, Emmanuel Macron welcomes a distinguished guest at Fort de Brégançon (Var) as a pre-return. "Seeing who he receives is a marker on the subjects of the re-entry", observes a French diplomatic source. After Briton Theresa May in 2018, Russian Vladimir Poutin in 2019, it is Angela Merkel's turn this year to be invited to the president's summer residence. On Thursday August 20, the German Chancellor will climb the path leading to the Fort. Paris and Berlin must, according to our information, make the announcement this Friday. This meeting has been in the pipeline for several weeks - the Head of State thought about it as soon as the last (and epic) European Council ended.
On both sides of the Rhine, the details and the agenda for the meeting were still being tweaked this week. But there is no doubt that the implementation of the European recovery plan - 750 billion euros creating for the first time a common debt and backed by a multiannual budget of the EU - snatched by the Merkel-Macron duo from the so-called countries “Frugal”, in Brussels at the end of July, will be on the menu of discussions. "The follow-up is extremely important", we remind the Elysee. Lebanon, Belarus or the escalation of tensions between Greece and Turkey - point on which we observe the most "nuances" between Macron and Merkel as one Macronist puts it - but also Brexit, should also be at the heart of the trades.
This meeting is also a new opportunity to showcase a Franco-German couple united and in action. To show an additional sign of the improvement of the relationship, which the Elysee describes as "extremely strong and daily", between Paris and Berlin. “Yes, there is a turning point. On the occasion of the Covid crisis, Germany came to positions that we had been defending for three years. There has been an acceleration in history, but it has been prepared by the President's European commitment since 2017, ”said the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune.
"They are the ones who allow the European agreements to materialize"
It is nothing to say that the return of a strong Merkel and converted to more solidarity and European integration has brought a breath of fresh air to Macron. For a long time, the president waited for the political horizon to emerge in Berlin, being therefore unable to demonstrate his ability to move Europe. This recovery plan, advances Stéphane Séjourné, the leader of the Walkers in the European Parliament, "it is one of the first translations, to public opinion, of its European ambition".
“They managed to do something that they couldn't have done two years ago. At that time, the political context in Germany did not allow it ", continues this close to the president, who adds:" There, they are the ones who allow the realization of the European agreements, in a moment of important crisis. This will remain on their respective balance sheets. Both have a joint interest in putting it forward. Especially since the economic and social issues, recovery and unemployment, will be at the heart of the start of the school year. "
There is also an interest in maintaining the link. Because there is still some way to go… First, for the implementation of the recovery plan. “Just because the deal is on paper doesn't mean it's done. Good execution will be central ”, recalls a diplomatic source. There is also the upcoming Brexit, the issue of GAFA and carbon taxes (on which Paris is more supportive than Berlin)… These are all crucial issues, including at home. Because, as the deputy LREM Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade underlines, "European subjects will be a central element of the presidential election of 2022, in particular with the French presidency of the EU which will take place at the same time".