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French Foreign Minister, in a First, Attends a German Cabinet Meeting French Foreign Minister, in a First, Attends a German Cabinet Meeting
(35 minutes later)
BERLIN — Germany and France are making a concerted effort to improve the mood music between the Continent’s most important pair of countries. BERLIN — Germany and France are making a concerted effort to improve the mood music between two of the Continent’s most important countries.
On Wednesday, Laurent Fabius, the foreign minister of France, became the first in that post to attend a German cabinet meeting. The visit, which the French Foreign Ministry said “reflects the dynamism of French-German relations,” followed a similar cabinet session in Paris in May attended by Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.On Wednesday, Laurent Fabius, the foreign minister of France, became the first in that post to attend a German cabinet meeting. The visit, which the French Foreign Ministry said “reflects the dynamism of French-German relations,” followed a similar cabinet session in Paris in May attended by Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Ever since they signed the landmark Élysée Treaty in 1963, the Continent’s two biggest powers have developed a closeness unseen between any other two European nations, particularly countries that battled each other for centuries. Since they signed the landmark Élysée Treaty in 1963, the Continent’s two biggest powers have developed a closeness unseen between any other two European nations, particularly countries that battled each other for centuries.
But gaping differences in economic status and philosophy have darkened the mood in recent months. The German economy is still growing, and unemployment here was 4.9 percent in September, according to the European Union’s statistics office. By contrast, the jobless rate in France is stubbornly stuck at 10.5 percent, and the French government has defiantly insisted that it will not meet European Union deficit norms until 2017. But gaping differences in economic status and philosophy have darkened the mood in recent months. The German economy is still growing, and unemployment here was 4.9 percent in September, according to the European Union’s statistics office. By contrast, the jobless rate in France is stubbornly stuck at 10.5 percent, and the French government has defiantly insisted that it will not meet European Union deficit targets until 2017.
Speaking privately, German officials have expressed alarm at the unpopularity of President François Hollande, whose Socialist party garnered barely 14 percent of votes in European parliamentary elections in May. The rise of Marine Le Pen and her populist National Front, which won 25 percent of the European vote in May, worries Berlin, where Chancellor Angela Merkel remains popular after nine years in power. Speaking privately, German officials have expressed alarm at the unpopularity of President François Hollande, whose Socialist Party garnered barely 14 percent of votes in European parliamentary elections in May. The rise of Marine Le Pen and her populist National Front, which won 25 percent of the European vote in May, worries Berlin, where Chancellor Angela Merkel remains popular after nine years in power.
Ms. Merkel’s finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, came under fire at meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington last weekend for sticking to his declared goal of balancing the federal budget here. Many outside experts and even influential German economists have urged the government in Berlin to loosen the public purse strings to stimulate German and European growth.Ms. Merkel’s finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, came under fire at meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington last weekend for sticking to his declared goal of balancing the federal budget here. Many outside experts and even influential German economists have urged the government in Berlin to loosen the public purse strings to stimulate German and European growth.
So far, Mr. Schäuble has declined to do so, and he won vocal backing from the Social Democrats with whom Ms. Merkel’s center-right party governs in a coalition. Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel, the Social Democrats’ leader, insisted Tuesday that there was no need to change course even as he announced that the government was now projecting just 1.2 percent growth in Germany this year, down from 1.8 percent predicted earlier. So far, Mr. Schäuble has declined to do so, and he won vocal backing from the Social Democrats with whom Ms. Merkel’s center-right party governs in a coalition. Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel, the Social Democrats’ leader, said Tuesday that there was no need to change course even as he announced that the government was now projecting just 1.2 percent growth in Germany this year, down from 1.8 percent predicted earlier.
However, both Mr. Schäuble — perhaps the most vocal advocate of European integration in the government — and Mr. Gabriel seem eager to engage the French in new common projects to overcome the perceived rift between Europe’s indispensable couple. However, both Mr. Schäuble — perhaps the most vocal advocate in the government of European integration — and Mr. Gabriel seem eager to engage the French in new common projects to overcome the perceived rift between Europe’s indispensable couple.
The Finance Ministry announced Wednesday that the two German ministers would host their French counterparts, Finance Minister Michel Sapin and Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron, on Monday in Berlin.The Finance Ministry announced Wednesday that the two German ministers would host their French counterparts, Finance Minister Michel Sapin and Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron, on Monday in Berlin.
Hours later, Mr. Macron unveiled a blueprint for proposed legislation designed to help lift competitiveness in France’s flagging economy, a move that appeared to nod to German demands that France push structural reforms faster than the government has been doing. Hours later, Mr. Macron unveiled a blueprint for proposed legislation intended to help lift competitiveness in France’s flagging economy, a move that appeared to nod at German demands that France push structural overhauls faster than the government has been doing.
The measures include plans to allow shops to open on Sundays and late into the evening, and to open the market for notaries and aspects of the legal profession to new competition. “We need to remove all obstacles that impede growth,” he said at a press briefing. The measures include plans to allow shops to open on Sundays and late into the evening, and to open the market for notaries and aspects of the legal profession to new competition. “We need to remove all obstacles that impede growth,” he said at a news briefing.
In addition, according to a document seen by Reuters recently, Mr. Gabriel and Mr. Macron have assigned two influential academics, one in Paris and the other in Berlin, to come up with ways to expand cooperation. They are supposed to present their ideas in November. In addition, according to a document seen by Reuters recently, Mr. Gabriel and Mr. Macron have assigned two influential academics, one in Paris and the other in Berlin, to come up with ways to expand cooperation. They are expected to present their ideas in November.