The Quirinal Treaty or the new Franco-Italian honeymoon around the economy

French President Emmanuel Macron (right) receives Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on November 12, 2021 in Paris.

Ludovic Marin AFP / Archivos

Text by: Anne Le Nir Follow

3 min

President Emmanuel Macron is on an official visit on April 25 and 26 in Rome to sign with the head of the Italian government, Mario Draghi, the Quirinal Treaty, named after the palace of the Presidency of the Italian Republic where the ceremony takes place.

Launched at the Franco-Italian summit in Lyon in 2017, this agreement aims to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

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From our correspondent in Rome

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This treaty is considered by the Italian institutions as the symbol of a consolidation of the Paris-Rome axis and as a means to rebalance the forces in Europe. It is not yet revealed in its details. But we know that it covers many areas. From economy to culture, including defense, security and foreign policy. It should be remembered that the bilateral agreement, put on track by Emmanuel Macron and the former President of the Council, Paolo Gentiloni, had been frozen in 2018. Just after the coming to power of

and accused France of having impoverished Africa. This caused an unprecedented crisis since 1940.

► To read also: Franco-Italian tensions: Paris recalls its ambassador to Italy

If the bonds of friendship have strengthened, it is in particular thanks to the Head of State

, remarkable mediator, and to the Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, who also cultivates excellent relations with President Macron.

In this climate of regained serenity, not all players in Italian politics and economy are delighted with the

. At the political level, we note that the postfascists of Frères D'Italie, the only opposition party, credited with 19.5% of the voting intentions, consider it scandalous that the treaty has not been the subject of any parliamentary debate. before his signature. And they believe that Italy will be under the thumb of France. But, as Democrat Piero Fassino, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, points out, the number of Italian companies operating in France is equivalent to that of French companies in Italy.

As for the experts of the Italian Institute of International Affairs, they agree on the fact that the Quirinal Treaty will be able to avoid conflicts, such as the one caused by the backtracking of France on the agreement to take over the construction sites of the Atlantic by Fincantieri.

And for Italian employers, this treaty will allow Rome to have a greater place at the tables that matter.

► To read also:

The Quirinal Treaty, this agreement that no one knows

The population is completely unaware of the existence of this Franco-Italian agreement.

If you ask patrons of a bar in central Rome, "

They look at you as if you have landed from an unknown land.

On the other hand, what arouses the curiosity of Italians is rather the Vatican chapter.

Tomorrow Friday, after the signing of the treaty, Emmanuel Macron will be received in audience by Pope Francis for the second time since 2018 and five months before the 2022 presidential election. And that is still a topic that livens up conversations!

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