Paris (AFP)

Emmanuel Macron receives Angela Merkel for dinner on Thursday evening, one of the last opportunities for the two leaders to stage Franco-German political proximity, while the Chancellor is preparing to bid farewell to power.

The president and the chancellor will make a statement at 7 p.m., before an interview followed by a working dinner, the Elysee said on Wednesday.

On the menu, a studious set of international subjects, "first and foremost Afghanistan", announced Steffen Seibert, spokesperson for Merkel.

The Elysee Palace also spoke on Wednesday "Iran, Libya, Ukraine, Belarus" but also "the major European challenges in terms of defense, asylum and migration, and climate and digital transition".

The two leaders also want to prepare together for the summit between the European Union and the Western Balkans, in Ljubljana, on October 6 - a date on which it is likely that Angela Merkel's successor will not be appointed -, and the future French presidency of the European Union, in the first half of 2022.

This last meeting is all the more crucial for Emmanuel Macron as it will coincide - and will necessarily mingle for him - with the electoral campaign in France and the presidential election of April 10 and 24, in which he will be a candidate, except huge surprise.

- The Taliban dossier -

In the immediate future, the consequences of the Taliban victory in Kabul remain one of the most pressing issues for Europeans, and therefore for the Franco-German relationship.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen notably announced on Wednesday that a defense summit would be organized by Paris during its presidency of the EU, while the withdrawal from Afghanistan has revived the reflection on the autonomy of Europeans.

Speech on the state of the European Union by Ursula von der Leyen in Strasbourg on September 15, 2021 YVES HERMAN POOL / AFP

The creation of a European rapid reaction force of 5,000 soldiers has been under discussion for several months and the American withdrawal from Afghanistan has revived the debate by highlighting the military deficiencies of the old continent.

Beyond these issues, Ms. Merkel's invitation to Paris highlights one last time the personal and working relationship between Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel, which has evolved considerably since 2017.

At the start, it was difficult to find much in common between a 67-year-old chancellor, brought up in the school of prudence, and a young president of 43 years who set up daring and movement in political markers.

But over time, the two leaders have succeeded, according to many witnesses, in building a solid relationship of trust.

Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel on November 10, 2018 during the commemoration of the centenary of the armistice of 1918, in Compiègne (Oise) PHILIPPE WOJAZER POOL / AFP / Archives

The French president has long encountered German reluctance to increase EU spending.

Faced with the Covid, the two leaders were able to strengthen their ties to conclude an alliance leading in May 2020 to the proposal of a European recovery plan of 750 billion euros, largely financed by pooled European loans.

They then worked together to wrest a historic agreement on this plan.

Emmanuel Macron has received in recent days at the Elysee the two favorites to succeed Angela Merkel in Berlin, the Social Democrat (SPD, center-left) Olaf Scholz and the Christian Democrat (CDU, center-right) Armin Laschet.

On the side of Olaf Scholz, co-architect of the program of debt pooling and post-Covid European recovery, Paris can hope for less budgetary orthodoxy, especially if the Social Democrat governs with a majority firmly anchored on the left.

If Armin Laschet wins, Berlin could keep its foot on the brake on spending and debt.

© 2021 AFP