Behind the Scenes of Disagreement.. The Power Struggle Between France and Germany Hinders European Unity

Since Friedrich Merz replaced Olaf Scholz as German Chancellor, expectations in Paris rose for him as an enthusiastic European, a convinced Atlanticist, and an ideal partner for the European strategic independence project sought by French President Emmanuel Macron since 2017.

But reality, as the magazine "L'Express" explains, appears less bright; disagreements are accumulating over several files, including the Mercosur agreement, the European loan to Ukraine, and the joint fighter jet project, as well as a quiet struggle over the leadership of military Europe.

The magazine begins its report with a rare positive scene, when the Danes expressed their concern about Washington's ambitions in Greenland, they turned towards Paris and Berlin.

It explained that Europe sent military support including Danish forces, alongside fifteen French soldiers, a German reconnaissance platoon, and officers from Sweden, Norway, and the United Kingdom. Days later, "the American president backed down, albeit temporarily."

Jan Werner, a researcher in French-German relations at the "Jacques Delors Center" in Berlin, analyzes this position by saying: "In official discourse, the response seemed timid, but in practice it was revolutionary." The magazine concludes that "the unity of Europeans behind France and Germany forces even the United States to take that into account."

Mercosur.. The First Disappointment

But the following months brought successive disappointments. Werner says Merz believed he would be able to convince Macron to agree to the Mercosur agreement, given its economic benefits, but he "underestimated the political obstacle in Paris."

He points out that the economic dimension is crucial for Germany, which is looking for new markets amid its economic slowdown and beginning to record a deficit in its trade with China.

90 Billion Euros for Ukraine.. Berlin Complains About Paris

Another disagreement emerged regarding the European loan to Ukraine, where Germany sought to link it to frozen Russian assets in Europe, but was surprised by the lukewarm French position.

According to the magazine, Berlin was ultimately forced to accept the loan being guaranteed by member states, which practically means passing its cost onto European taxpayers, unless Russia pays compensation in the future.

The Fighter Jet.. A Project on the Brink of Collapse

"L'Express" devotes extensive space to the joint fighter jet project, which it describes as a "tragicomedy." Nine years after its launch, with an estimated cost of 100 billion euros, the project appears "closer to crashing than to taking off."

The two main companies, French "Dassault" and German "Airbus Defence," face sharp disagreements, as their heads exchanged accusations, and communication channels between them have stopped.

At the political level, Merz, driven by realism, tried to bury the project, while Macron insisted on saving it, aware of the repercussions of its failure. The magazine indicates that Berlin suspects Paris is stalling to avoid admitting failure.

German Rearmament.. A French Source of Concern

International analyst Ulrich Speck highlights the core of the disagreement, explaining that the German vision is based on the European Union being concerned with the economy, while "NATO" handles defense tasks, which contradicts Macron's vision.

He considers that the German shift in the discourse on European sovereignty is nothing more than a "rhetorical concession," not an actual strategic shift.

But French concern is escalating with the growing German military power, as Paris sees itself as the sole military leader within the European Union, especially after Britain's exit. However, its deteriorating financial situation limits its ability to keep pace with this rise.

Expert Liana Fix warns of more complex scenarios, pointing to the possibility of the "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) party coming to power in the future, and the repercussions that may accompany that on European balances.

Disagreements Hinder European Integration

Sylvie Goulard, former French Minister of the Armed Forces, expresses regret, saying: "We succeeded in creating a strong common currency, but we still content ourselves with minor adjustments in foreign policy."

She points out that despite common challenges, such as reactivating military conscription, there is no real joint thinking between Paris and Berlin.

As for the fighter jet project, she believes that the reasons used to reject it are the same ones that justify the need for it, affirming that the struggle over who leads between France and Germany is what brought matters to this complexity.

These disagreements reveal a growing rift in the French-German relationship, which has long formed the engine of the European Union. Between differing strategic visions and escalating competition for influence, Europe appears to face a real test of its unity in an extremely complex international phase.