Behind fortress walls, Macron and Merkel to chart Europe's course

 

FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) and French President Emmanuel Macron (L) arrive for a joint press conference at the end of the European summit at the EU headquarters in Brussels on July 21, 2020. John Thys/Pool via REUTERS

 

PARIS (Reuters) - Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Emmanuel Macron meet on Thursday in a medieval island fortress in the Mediterranean to chart the next steps for a partnership that is the driving force behind the European Union.

 

Inside the walls of Fort de Bregancon, traditional summer residence of French leaders, the German chancellor and French president will tackle the most pressing issues on the global agenda.

 

Lebanon, anti-government protests in Belarus, the COVID-19 crisis, Mali's coup d'etat, and tensions between Greece and Turkey will be discussed, according to an official in the French presidential administration.

 

At the same time Merkel - mindful of her legacy as her 15 years in power draw to an end - is seeking to cement progress on some long-standing objectives, away from the day-to-day drama of international affairs.

 

These include, according to two senior German government sources, deciding what relationship Europe should have with a resurgent China, re-imagining the shape of the EU after Britain's exit, and carving out a role for Europe as a defence power to match is economic might.

 

"Both (Merkel and Macron) are aware that the EU is in a crucial period and that France and Germany – even though they have different views on a lot of issues – have to stick together," said one of the two German government sources.

 

Back in July, Merkel and Macron worked together to persuade squabbling EU members to agree to give the bloc, for the first time in its history, debt-raising powers to finance a post-COVID recovery.

 

Fresh from that achievement, attention is now turning to what else the duo can deliver in the time left before they get distracted by the German chancellor's succession and France's 2022 presidential election.

 

"This visit is testimony to the exceptional level of Franco-German engagement on the bilateral, European, and international level," said the official in the French presidential administration.

 

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke in BERLIN and Elizabeth Pineau in PARIS; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-20

 

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27 ruled by 2, I am glad the UK is out of that club

 

2 hours ago, steve187 said:

27 ruled by 2

Not true. Do your homework before making a fool of yourself. 

 

2 hours ago, steve187 said:

 

I am glad the UK is out of that club

Agree. It will be easier to integrate without the UK blocking everything. Oh, wait, how did the UK block things when all are ruled by 2? 

12 minutes ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Not true. Do your homework before making a fool of yourself. 

 

 

You just did...............????

13 minutes ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Not true. Do your homework before making a fool of yourself. 

 

Agree. It will be easier to integrate without the UK blocking everything. Oh, wait, how did the UK block things when all are ruled by 2? 

 

If you think Germany and France don't exert pressure on all the other 25 members, to "tow the line" or else you are extremely naive at best.

 

France has always sort to rule the EU and clashed with Germany who like to believe they are being more paternalistic in their desire to rule, given they're the biggest economy. France wanted the UK kept out for a long time. 

 

The UK was often allied with Germany, which must've caused frustration to the French. 

 

The move towards federalism, EU armed forces, EU single budget and financial control over all budgets, and the likely adoption of the French codified system of law would never be accepted by the UK. If the was blocking, I suspect other members were appreciative. as they couldn't.

25 minutes ago, transam said:

You just did...............????

Yes, I did my homework. Others don’t. 

19 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

If you think Germany and France don't exert pressure on all the other 25 members, to "tow the line" or else you are extremely naive at best.

You can call not buying into conspiracy theories “extremely naive”, but it doesn’t change the fact that Germany and France don’t rule the 27. 

 

40 minutes ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Yes, I did my homework. Others don’t. 

But you have never heard of........."The writing is on the wall"..............????.............Have you..?

Hands off our cod ????

No wonder the Brits wanted out of that charade. Good riddance when they finally get free of it.

 

It's not even as though they've made a good job of running their own countries. Europe is a shambles, IMO.

5 hours ago, steve187 said:

27 ruled by 2, I am glad the UK is out of that club

 

I don't think I would call them the 2 driving force. I would say more like the 2 bricking it most after we have gone!!!5555????????????????????????????????

Another Franco German stitchup. Thank God we're out.

6 hours ago, steve187 said:

27 ruled by 2, I am glad the UK is out of that club

 

NONSENSE.. 27 RULED by 2. remind the "careful four": Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, Austria... who upet all plans of Merkel and Makron for the EU corona fund.

But I agree: Happy the UK is finally out.

2 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Hands off our cod ????

In Europe nobody is interested in fish anyhow. ONLY and ONLY the British

1 minute ago, puipuitom said:

NONSENSE.. 27 RULED by 2. remind the "careful four": Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, Austria... who upet all plans of Merkel and Makron for the EU corona fund.

But I agree: Happy the UK is finally out.

Yes, it is a good feeling.....????

1 minute ago, puipuitom said:

In Europe nobody is interested in fish anyhow. ONLY and ONLY the British

Really, do you run a Supermarket in the EU.....?  ????

8 hours ago, steve187 said:

27 ruled by 2, I am glad the UK is out of that club

 

You're joking? 

Merkel and Macron are educated people who are serving their countries whereas Bojo acts like a silly street dog with his brain in the bottom part. 

I'm shocked that British can't find a better one but this loser who drives UK into a long recession with a high unimployment and unsafe future. And......no deals in sight as he promised ????

8 hours ago, steve187 said:

27 ruled by 2, I am glad the UK is out of that club

 

You are not even able to rule yourselves. 

https://www.euronews.com/2020/08/10/nearly-half-of-italians-would-support-leaving-the-eu-if-brexit-is-successful-according-to?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB

How likely are the 'big four' European economies to vote to leave the EU if Brexit works out?

Comments

By David Walsh  •  last updated: 10/08/2020

 

Italy would be the most likely of the "Big Four" member states to consider exiting the European Union if Brexit proves to be beneficial to Britain, according to a Euronews-commissioned poll.

Data from the Redfield and Wilton Strategies survey found that nearly half of Italians would be likely to support their country leaving the EU if the UK and its economy are regarded to be in good health in five years.

 

 

In the event, France and Spain both showed moderate support for changing its relationship with the bloc, while Germany was the member state least likely of the four major players to consider leaving the Union.

The poll findings come just weeks after the founding of a new anti-EU party in Italy.

Former TV journalist Gianluigi Paragone launched his "Italexit" party on July 23, just two days after Italy secured a considerable tranche of the EU's €750 billion recovery fund to help steady its pandemic-hit economy.

the EU are now threatening t o stop all haulage to and from europe as theyre so desperate to cling on to the free plundering of UK fishstocks

 

UK Brexit negotiator tells EU that they need British hauliers more than we need them

David Frost will tell Brussels that refusal to allow wide-ranging access for British lorries is likely to harm the EU more than the UK

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/19/uk-brexit-negotiator-tells-eu-need-british-hauliers-need/

5 hours ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Yes, I did my homework. Others don’t. 

Pity it came back with an 'F' grade.

2 hours ago, puipuitom said:

In Europe nobody is interested in fish anyhow. ONLY and ONLY the British

Did you miss Barnier and Maron's obsession with fish and OUR fish?

12 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

You're joking? 

Merkel and Macron are educated people who are serving their countries whereas Bojo acts like a silly street dog with his brain in the bottom part. 

I'm shocked that British can't find a better one but this loser who drives UK into a long recession with a high unimployment and unsafe future. And......no deals in sight as he promised ????

What comic books have you been reading.????? The markets have predicted great financial and investment gains!! The potential trade deals nearly done are better than the UK's with Europe by a million miles. The Macron & Merkel goon show is because the cracks are showing and they are scared <deleted>less that others will follow!!!

Rock on Boris. The only PM with balls since  Maggie????????????????????????????????

13 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

You're joking? 

Merkel and Macron are educated people who are serving their countries whereas Bojo acts like a silly street dog with his brain in the bottom part. 

I'm shocked that British can't find a better one but this loser who drives UK into a long recession with a high unimployment and unsafe future. And......no deals in sight as he promised ????

You sound like a typical EU worried guy....????

13 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

You are not even able to rule yourselves. 

Really, and your country does..........????

19 hours ago, puipuitom said:

In Europe nobody is interested in fish anyhow. ONLY and ONLY the British

      Then why is Europe making such a big deal over the fishing rights, they are upset cos it may destroy many of their fishing fleets, But, has everyone forgotten how British fleets became decimated after joining the EU.

5 hours ago, DPKANKAN said:

predicted

Well, if you believe clairvoyants????

Does it hurt you? Is it contagious? Stay home????

19 hours ago, puipuitom said:

In Europe nobody is interested in fish anyhow. ONLY and ONLY the British

so why do they want to keep fishing in our waters?

4 hours ago, transam said:

You sound like a typical EU worried guy....????

That's true. I'm worried how deep this former respectable country will sink into Nirwana? 

Nobody leading the country but a clown. Sure Stahmer is on the move knocking at number 10 already. 

And next after losing the proud and intelligent Scots the remaining little England is not more than a fly <deleted> on a map.

Hordes of Brits were looking for EU passports by crossing the border to the free part of Ireland. 

And I predict that I will see a reunited Ireland as a Republic in my life time. 

There is no place for Queens and Kings wasting taxpayer's money. 

Or are you proud of your royal Andrew?

Ditch him and jail him. ????

4 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

That's true. I'm worried how deep this former respectable country will sink into Nirwana? 

Nobody leading the country but a clown. Sure Stahmer is on the move knocking at number 10 already. 

And next after losing the proud and intelligent Scots the remaining little England is not more than a fly <deleted> on a map.

Hordes of Brits were looking for EU passports by crossing the border to the free part of Ireland. 

And I predict that I will see a reunited Ireland as a Republic in my life time. 

There is no place for Queens and Kings wasting taxpayer's money. 

Or are you proud of your royal Andrew?

Ditch him and jail him. ????

You just made one big mistake, you used the words "Little England", that to me paints a very big picture about yourself. Sorry, stay on the your back burner....????