The Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly needs to urge the executive of both countries to fulfil the Élysée Treaty and the Aachen Treaty. Second, they must refrain from national solo efforts and be sensitive to the other’s pressure points in foreign, security and Europe policy. The two governments need to discuss openly to what extent their national interests are concerned, and then determine concrete measures. The first precondition for intensifying bilateral cooperation is for Paris and Berlin to conduct a comprehensive review of the international conflict situation in their existing cooperation formats as regards foreign and security policy. Reconciling bilateral interests is also complicated by national solo efforts, indifference, and inadequate exchange of experience. Berlin emphasises the development of NATO and the EU as fundamental organisations for German foreign policy. Paris is looking for new ways of preserving its autonomy in defence policy and of filling the strategic vacuum that has been created by the waning US interest in Europe and its periphery. The main reasons are structural changes in international relations, which the French and German sides have reacted to differently. However, in foreign and security policy, and in certain areas of his Europe policy, this aspiration has rarely been fulfilled. French President Emmanuel Macron has announced his goal of revitalising Franco-German relations and founding a “new partnership” between Paris and Berlin.
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