Franco-German diamond wedding: a solemn and very political celebration
Paris, La Sorbonne, January 22, 2022: Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron, surrounded by numerous ministers, parliamentarians, celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Elysée Treaty, signed on January 22, 1963 at the Élysée Palace by Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer.
AFP - CHRISTOPHE ENA
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
This anniversary day of the sixtieth anniversary of the Elysée Treaty between France and Germany will be rich in symbolic images as the solemn and political meetings will be scattered over the hours.
At the Panthéon and La Sorbonne this Sunday morning, at the Élysée and at the National Assembly this afternoon.
A symbolic date and a ministerial council twice postponed since last summer, against a backdrop of differences on many issues.
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Celebrations at the Panthéon and the Sorbonne to open the day.
Very moved, it is almost with tears in her voice that Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the National Assembly, spoke of her refugee grandfather and her German grandmother who spoke German to her when she was little.
And in the very solemn setting of the great amphitheater of the Sorbonne, all the speakers recalled that in 1963 the signing of a treaty between France and Germany was by no means obvious as the wounds were recent and burning.
La Sorbonne, Paris, Sunday 22 January: celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty with Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the National Assembly, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President Macron and Bärbel Bas, President of the Bundestag.
REUTERS - POOL
"
Thank you
," said Chancellor Olaf Scholz in French, "
thank you to France for reaching out despite the crimes against humanity of the Second World War
."
"
This gesture, which made it possible to lay the foundations of the European Union
, has a particular resonance
of course today, with the war in Ukraine
", recalled Emmanuel Macron.
"
And the support for Ukraine will be unwavering, Vladimir Putin's imperialism will not win
," said the German Chancellor.
With regard to European construction, Germany and France bear a particular responsibility, "
the Franco-German engine not only works when it purrs but also when it makes noise
", explains Olaf Scholz.
Emmanuel Macron adds: "
the Franco-German couple is great when it shakes up the interests and the fate of each side of the Rhine to make Europe stronger
".
"
A choice that must be defended,
recalled the President of the Bundestag,
because nothing is ever acquired forever, that goes for peace, for democracy and also for Franco-German friendship
".
Smooth out the different
For months, Paris and Berlin have been working hard to be able to display "
a common vision of major European issues
" in the words of the Elysée.
However, on each of the major issues discussed during the joint Council of Ministers to be held in the afternoon, real differences remain to be ironed out.
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To read also
: Diamond wedding between France and Germany for the Élysée Treaty
On the support of Europe's industrial competitiveness, vis-à-vis the United States in particular, no agreement, even if the response to the pandemic has moved the lines in Berlin to accept common financial commitments.
And on the overall Franco-German industrial strategy, the two countries set the common horizon at 2030.
Energy then.
Everyone wants cheaper energy for the consumer, but difficult to agree on market reform.
The future of low-carbon hydrogen, however, may be more consensual ground.
It will be discussed in the evening.
On defense issues, there is no shortage of different strategic and industrial players.
Latest, Berlin's choices in terms of anti-aircraft defense.
Finally, the war in Ukraine is relaunching the prospects for EU enlargement: the rules of the EU will have to be changed, but everyone has their own view of things, Berlin being cautious about modifying the treaties.
The detailed review will be left to the ministers concerned, to allow Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz to display, without a doubt, a perfect understanding.
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