• These two events, instigated by French presidents, were Merkel’s finest hours, says Eric-André Martin, head of the The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) at The French Institute for International Relations (Ifri): “In 2008-2010, as in 2020, the French and German leaders worked together to avoid major political and economic crises in Europe.”

[...]

• Eric-André Martin calls Franco-German relations “a permanent compromise”. They agree on long-term objectives, and the fact that only the European Union (EU) can solve big problems, he says. “But they differ on the means of getting there.”

[...]

• “The Germans thought Macron was going too far, that he was over ambitious and did not give sufficient consideration to the US position,” says Paul Maurice, a research fellow at The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) at Ifri. “Macron’s statement in the autumn of 2019 that Nato was ‘brain dead’ was also ill-received in Germany, because it was seen as a desire to cut Europe’s ties with Nato.”

  Germany has long enjoyed special status as a US ally. Maurice suggests the French may have been a little jealous that Merkel was invited to Washington before Macron by president Joe Biden.

  Armin Laschet, the president of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous region in Germany, is likely to succeed Merkel as chancellor.

  “Laschet had a Belgian grandfather. He is a Rhineland Catholic, the kind of pro-European German whom the French have always known,” says Maurice. “In his interviews, Laschet praises Macron’s European policies.”

[...]

This article is available on the website of The Irish Times "France prepares for departure of sometimes reluctant partner and rival Merkel".