Will France Lead the EU to More “Autonomy”?
To mark the start of France’s six-month presidency of the European Union, President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen honored two French citizens at a January …
As Europe Readies to Recalibrate Its Relationship with China, Should It Look to Paris Instead of Berlin?
France’s recent decision to effectively ban the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei from its 5G network by 2028 came on the heels of the UK’s announcement to purge Huawei’s 5G equipment …
The Franco-German Motor Turns 70
“World peace cannot be safeguarded without the making of creative efforts proportionate to the dangers which threaten it.” That is the first sentence of the Schuman Declaration, which 70 years …
Germany’s Growth Model under Attack?
On his last visit to Berlin in the beginning of May, French president Emmanuel Macron said that “the German growth model has perhaps run its course.” He argued that the …
From Fear to Friendship: Franco-German Relations in 1949 and 2019
For the last seventy years, the Franco-German “couple” has constituted the center of European integration and peace in Europe. Reflection on the early stage of the relationship and on contemporary …
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The Robustness of Franco-German Relations in an Unstable Europe
The European Union faces an existential crisis of dramatic proportions, occasioned by Brexit; nationalism and populism in several member states; internal sclerosis; and challenges from a chaotic international system created …
Macron Addressing China’s Sharp Power Efforts in Europe
A flurry of concern has grown over what is being referred to as China’s sharp power efforts in Europe—that is, influencing efforts disguised as soft power that hinge on manipulation …
For Germany’s Social Democrats, a Chance to be Europe’s Superman
It was 80 years ago this year that DC Comics first published Superman, and with this comic book series launched a franchise of superheroes that shows no sign of losing …
We Need More Diversity in the Transatlantic Civil Society
Civil society organizations need to be more diverse in order to assume their pivotal role in transatlantic relations, especially in the current period of mutual alienation. In the past, dynamic …
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: The French Presidential Elections and Europe
From the perspective of European Integration, the French presidential election is a reload of Sergio Leone’s 1960s blockbuster movie “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” In the runoff, Emmanuel …
Pragmatic France Elects a Reformer
There is an old story about the serious French thinker who, when presented with a common-sense solution to a problem, will find fault by retorting that the idea “works in …
The Limits and Opportunities of Reconciliation with West Germany During the Cold War: A Comparative Analysis of France, Israel, Poland, and Czechoslovakia
The seventieth anniversaries in 2015 of the end of World War II and the Holocaust have generated renewed interest in reconciliation and the question of whether the German and European experience holds lessons for Japan and East Asia. Much of the thinking on comparative lessons, developed in the last fifteen years, has focused on an idealized notion of Germany’s successful international reconciliation.
Will Michel Go to War for Marianne?
The reactions to the attacks in Paris have demonstrated the special character of the German-French relationship—but how far does this friendship go? The attacks in Paris have resulted in an …
Merkel and Hollande Address European Parliament
In recent years, as Europe has confronted crisis after crisis, we have seen the importance of German leadership, and of integrating that leadership into a community of nations working toward …
