2022---franco-german-couple---it-s-largely-a-myth---says-nicolas-baverez | Edge |

Baverez and other analysts point to several "fault lines" that shattered the facade of unity:

: While France pushes for "European Strategic Autonomy," Germany has historically relied on the U.S. for security, a divide that widened as Berlin prioritized American-made equipment (like F-35 jets) over joint European projects. Baverez and other analysts point to several "fault

Experts often reframe the relationship not as a "marriage" but as a functional engine or a "duo-duel". Powering up Europe: New drive for the Franco-German engine Powering up Europe: New drive for the Franco-German

: Germany prioritizes its own industrial and national interests (a "Germany First" approach) while France merely talks about "European sovereignty" without exercising it. 2. Why the "Engine" Seized in 2022 3. A Relationship of "Interests

: Germany has remained an industrial powerhouse, whereas Baverez argues France has suffered from a lack of structural reform and a widening deficit. 3. A Relationship of "Interests," Not "Love"

: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced Germany to abandon its cheap gas model, leading Berlin to act unilaterally to secure its energy interests, often at the expense of European partners.

: France uses the rhetoric of the "couple" to mask its own economic and political decline, similar to how the UK leans on its "special relationship" with the U.S..