The Aachen Treaty: The Promise of Convergence for a Divided Couple
The numerous commitments made in the Aachen Treaty concealed a wide range of disagreements over defense, the future of the European Union, economic policies, relations with Russia, and so on.
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The European election campaigns made these differences clear. Nonetheless, France and Germany have maintained a remarkable capacity for compromise. Beyond a treaty that may not fulfill its promises, it is this capacity that provides a foundation for the sustainability of their accord.
Hans Stark is Secretary general of the Study Committee for Franco-German Relations (Cerfa).
Article published in Politique étrangère, Vol. 84, No. 4, Winter 2019