The Franco-German couple is struggling. The proof by the texts and the photos
(B2) More than a long speech to take the pulse of the Franco-German couple, it is enough to take a look at the relationship between the two official French and German sites of the Hollande - Merkel summit in Paris on 4 March. Uplifting!
The evidence from the texts
On the Elysée site, the report of the press conference joint is elliptical to say the least. He thus only reports on the presidential speech. The intervention of Chancellor Angela Merkel is absent...
On the German government website, the report is a little more exhaustive, the remarks of the Chancellor are transcribed but also those of President Hollande. Certainly in Paris, we do not have the same conception of the couple as in Berlin.
Photo proof
The photos released by the two sites are, to say the least, obvious of this difference in appreciation.
On the site of the Elysée, we see a François Hollande speaking at ease, determined, and an Angela Merkel, scowling, in a bad mood, headphones in her ear, seeming completely elsewhere, and mute. Can't wait for this to end, seems to be saying Fr. Holland.
On the site of the Chancellor, we see the two leaders discussing the descent of a staircase. A fairly realistic photo of a difficult dialogue, where the Chancellor seems to reply to a French President who does not quite agree (in aesthetic terms, this choice of photo is more interesting)
Knowing how carefully these photos are chosen by the leaders' communication managers, we have a good visual appreciation of how the Franco-German couple is felt in Paris and Berlin.
A torn couple?
In fact, the vision of the Franco-German couple is totally different on either side of the Rhine. On the German side, the couple is a couple, for better or for worse, with strong arguments if necessary, but we stay together at all costs. There mater German is probably a bit matronly around the edges, a bit tough, not fun every day. But she holds the bar. The French husband is more of the light, flighty type. It's a separate room, the common dinner quickly done, just to keep up appearances, and after ciao, we each go out on our own. Certainly the Franco-German couple is only a couple in name... even in official communication.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
Update At the Franco-German summit in Metz, at the beginning of April, the Chancellery replied to the photo of the Elysée, with an almost similar photo, but reversed. We see an Angela Merkel expressing herself calmly while François Hollande appears, earphones on his ears, looking frowning, annoyed... and knock!
