Olaf Scholz to meet with Emmanuel Macron

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron will hold a bilateral working lunch today.

A likely topic of the meeting is the recent postponement of the joint ministerial meeting between the two nations and the disagreements that led to it. The two countries have taken different positions on responding to the European Energy crisis with Germany initially opposing an EU-wide gas price gap and concerns that Germany´s recent national relief package would give it an economic advantage within the bloc. Additionally, France blocked the construction of a gas pipeline between Spain and Germany which was to run through France.

While most of these disagreements were resolved, continuing disagreements over the future of EU geopolitics remain. Scholz recently called for an enlarged EU with continued eastern expansion. Meanwhile Macron has blocked accession talks by Albania and North Macedonia in 2019. Despite these disagreements, both countries are likely to maintain their partnership and its leading role in shaping EU policy. However, recent German policy changes in security and defense may give it more leverage as it increases the capabilities of its armed forces and adopts a more assertive foreign policy.