France and Germany Renew Postwar Vows of Friendship

France and Germany have renewed their vows of postwar friendship, aiming to show that the motor that has traditionally powered the EU project remains strong as nationalist and populist parties advance across the continent, writes the Guardian. 

President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Angela Merkel signed the update to the 1963 Elysée treaty on Tuesday in the German border city of Aachen, residence of Charlemagne, the "father of Europe" who managed to unite much of western Europe in the ninth century.

"Both states will deepen their cooperation in foreign affairs, defence, external and internal security and development and at the same time work on strengthening the ability of Europe to act independently," the treaty text states.

As the EU comes under unprecedented pressure from Brexit, Donald Trump and increasingly strident nationalist governments in Italy, Poland and Hungary, both Merkel and Macron are eager to limit the gains eurosceptic parties are expected to make in European parliamentary elections in May.

The text has been criticised by their domestic opponents in France and Germany both as going too far and not far enough, and dismissed by eurosceptics abroad as a largely empty gesture by two significantly weakened leaders.

The text provides for closer security cooperation, with the two countries pledging to come to each other's defence in case of military attack, create a joint defence and security council and harmonise their rules for military equipment exports.

It also promises a commitment to economic convergence, aiming to form "a German-French economic area with common rules", set up a panel of experts to give economic recommendations to each government and boost research cooperation in the digital economy...

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