The Aachen Treaty: The Promise of Convergence for a Divided Couple
The numerous commitments made in the Aachen Treaty concealed a wide range of disagreements over defense, the future of the European Union, economic policies, relations with Russia, and so on.
The European election campaigns made these differences clear. Nonetheless, France and Germany have maintained a remarkable capacity for compromise. Beyond a treaty that may not fulfill its promises, it is this capacity that provides a foundation for the sustainability of their accord.
Hans Stark is Secretary general of the Study Committee for Franco-German Relations (Cerfa).
Article published in Politique étrangère, Vol. 84, No. 4, Winter 2019