The new duo is currently fighting for leadership in the European Union.
Source: Tanjug
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French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi are coming out to fill the gap on the European throne at a time when the era of German Chancellor Angela Merkel is coming to an end, writes the Brussels portal Politico.
While Germany is occupied with internal affairs ahead of the September elections, the Franco-Italian political duo and their allies have already worked on launching a 750 billion-euro EU COVID recovery plan and are now focused on several goals: reforming bloc spending rules, signing bilateral agreement based on the French-German model and association in joint industrial projects and judicial cooperation, writes Politico.
The portal states that the two European politicians have a lot in common, both are former investment bankers who see the bolder and faster EU as a cure for domestic difficulties, and also share pro-EU, market and centrist views.
Most importantly, they both know that it is time to act now, while Draghi's rating is high, before Germany gets a new leader and while Macron is fighting for re-election.
The Franco-Italian alliance began last summer when Macron and then-Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte advocated an ambitious plan to recover from the pandemic, and since Draghi took power earlier this year, the alliance has only strengthened.
However, there are many obstacles on the path of French-Italian domination, the thrifty northern states will certainly not support further spending and financial integration, while the central and eastern powers will continue to defy Macron's social-liberal leadership.
Moreover, just two years ago, French-Italian diplomatic relations were at the post-war level, according to the French Foreign Ministry, due to migration disputes, conflict of goals in Libya, the Italian Foreign Minister who flirted with the Yellow Vests movement and the recall of the French Ambassador to Rome.
The newly discovered enthusiasm in the relations between Paris and Rome became obvious at the beginning of this month, when Italian President Sergio Mattarella went to the French capital on his first trip abroad since the lockdown, and Macron called Italy a sister country.
Draghi's coming to power in Italy only further improved ties, and the two leaders aim to sign a bilateral agreement called the "Quirinal Treaty", which in many ways resembles the French-German Elysée Treaty of 1963.
The content of the agreement has not been published, and the MP from Macron's party, who chairs the "Franco-Italian Friendship Group" of the French National Assembly, Christophe Di Pompe, believes that the signals sent by the two governments are more important than the actual provisions of the future agreement.
"As soon as we have an agreement between France and Italy, regardless of the content, we change the European balance of relations," Di Pompe told Politico.
There are other examples of loosening relations between the two countries, last spring France abolished the protection of far-left Italian terrorists, and Macron described it as a gesture of friendship.
As for industrial issues, there are also signs of improvement, the project of merging car manufacturers has succeeded, and last week, the French Minister of Economy, Bruno le Maire, confirmed that he would include Italy in some Franco-German projects.
Although it is approaching Italy, France still does not forget about Germany and is careful not to create the impression of calling for softer fiscal rules due to its own debt, and it is expected to continue seeking French-German consensus on this and other issues, Politico concludes.
Why is Serbia so concerned about who will lead the EU? For all its actions, Serbia does not appear to embrace European values. Constant criticism of the EU in the Serbian press, while fawning over Russia, indicts Serbia is not interested in joining the EU.
(Selma, 1 August 2021 17:42)
Please define "European Values" ... Is it the Portuguese model, the Germany model, the Hungarian model... what does it mean?
Russia is Germanys second largest trade partner (after China)... does this make Germany against "European Values."
The reason why public opinion in Serbia is becoming very anti-EU, is the same reason its becoming anti-EU in all European countries. Its an organization that is completely out of touch and ruled by a group of people who are not elected...
(M, 2 August 2021 15:09)
Why is Serbia so concerned about who will lead the EU? For all its actions, Serbia does not appear to embrace European values. Constant criticism of the EU in the Serbian press, while fawning over Russia, indicts Serbia is not interested in joining the EU.
(Selma, 1 August 2021 17:42)
Perhaps the Disunited Nations can Dictate to it, and Farsighted England (or little Britannia, the little horn who grew Great to become the Mighty British Empire of Daniel’s Prophesy), and England left the European Disunion, because the True and Reliable Prophesy of Daniel the Prophet, Predicted that Europe will Never be United.
Many have Tried to unite Europe, like the Soviet Union, Napoleon, and then Hitler, who tried to unite Europe in the Worship of the Invisible Devil.
Gravity, Magnetism, Air, and Mobile Phone Waves, are ALL Invisible, Yet they EXIST, and we Believe it, because we have Irrefutable Evidence for them, but what of an Invisible God, and an Invisible Devil, who Really Knows how to Deceive People (Romans 1:20; Revelation 12:9).
(Yet Another JS, 1 August 2021 06:15)
Both Macron and Johnson support an independent Kosova. Serbia’s chances of entering the EU have diminished. The next NATO member, very shortly, will be Kosova. Serbia had better decide which chair to sit on, since even Serbia has only one a$$. Russia is not in a position to offer help to Serbia and Biden is a hawk when it comes to Serbia. Serbia really has no viable options.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 July 2021 20:05)
Without Merkel's strong stance the EU will lose any remarkable influence as latins are good to speak the whole day but can't arrive to a rational conclusion. Plus for French snobs Italians are just peasants and that will not change. If it weren't for Germany's good will Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, would have been kicked out of the EU long ago. Germany will remain the EU's driving motor as far as economics are concerned Merkel or not Merkel. My opinion.
(Skenderbeu 1444, 31 July 2021 18:04)
Perhaps the Disunited Nations can Dictate to it, and Farsighted England (or little Britannia, the little horn who grew Great to become the Mighty British Empire of Daniel’s Prophesy), and England left the European Disunion, because the True and Reliable Prophesy of Daniel the Prophet, Predicted that Europe will Never be United.
Many have Tried to unite Europe, like the Soviet Union, Napoleon, and then Hitler, who tried to unite Europe in the Worship of the Invisible Devil.
Gravity, Magnetism, Air, and Mobile Phone Waves, are ALL Invisible, Yet they EXIST, and we Believe it, because we have Irrefutable Evidence for them, but what of an Invisible God, and an Invisible Devil, who Really Knows how to Deceive People (Romans 1:20; Revelation 12:9).
(Yet Another JS, 1 August 2021 06:15)
Why is Serbia so concerned about who will lead the EU? For all its actions, Serbia does not appear to embrace European values. Constant criticism of the EU in the Serbian press, while fawning over Russia, indicts Serbia is not interested in joining the EU.
(Selma, 1 August 2021 17:42)
Please define "European Values" ... Is it the Portuguese model, the Germany model, the Hungarian model... what does it mean?
Russia is Germanys second largest trade partner (after China)... does this make Germany against "European Values."
The reason why public opinion in Serbia is becoming very anti-EU, is the same reason its becoming anti-EU in all European countries. Its an organization that is completely out of touch and ruled by a group of people who are not elected...
(M, 2 August 2021 15:09)
Why is Serbia so concerned about who will lead the EU? For all its actions, Serbia does not appear to embrace European values. Constant criticism of the EU in the Serbian press, while fawning over Russia, indicts Serbia is not interested in joining the EU.
(Selma, 1 August 2021 17:42)
Both Macron and Johnson support an independent Kosova. Serbia’s chances of entering the EU have diminished. The next NATO member, very shortly, will be Kosova. Serbia had better decide which chair to sit on, since even Serbia has only one a$$. Russia is not in a position to offer help to Serbia and Biden is a hawk when it comes to Serbia. Serbia really has no viable options.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 July 2021 20:05)
Without Merkel's strong stance the EU will lose any remarkable influence as latins are good to speak the whole day but can't arrive to a rational conclusion. Plus for French snobs Italians are just peasants and that will not change. If it weren't for Germany's good will Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, would have been kicked out of the EU long ago. Germany will remain the EU's driving motor as far as economics are concerned Merkel or not Merkel. My opinion.
(Skenderbeu 1444, 31 July 2021 18:04)
Both Macron and Johnson support an independent Kosova. Serbia’s chances of entering the EU have diminished. The next NATO member, very shortly, will be Kosova. Serbia had better decide which chair to sit on, since even Serbia has only one a$$. Russia is not in a position to offer help to Serbia and Biden is a hawk when it comes to Serbia. Serbia really has no viable options.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 July 2021 20:05)
Why is Serbia so concerned about who will lead the EU? For all its actions, Serbia does not appear to embrace European values. Constant criticism of the EU in the Serbian press, while fawning over Russia, indicts Serbia is not interested in joining the EU.
(Selma, 1 August 2021 17:42)
Perhaps the Disunited Nations can Dictate to it, and Farsighted England (or little Britannia, the little horn who grew Great to become the Mighty British Empire of Daniel’s Prophesy), and England left the European Disunion, because the True and Reliable Prophesy of Daniel the Prophet, Predicted that Europe will Never be United.
Many have Tried to unite Europe, like the Soviet Union, Napoleon, and then Hitler, who tried to unite Europe in the Worship of the Invisible Devil.
Gravity, Magnetism, Air, and Mobile Phone Waves, are ALL Invisible, Yet they EXIST, and we Believe it, because we have Irrefutable Evidence for them, but what of an Invisible God, and an Invisible Devil, who Really Knows how to Deceive People (Romans 1:20; Revelation 12:9).
(Yet Another JS, 1 August 2021 06:15)
Without Merkel's strong stance the EU will lose any remarkable influence as latins are good to speak the whole day but can't arrive to a rational conclusion. Plus for French snobs Italians are just peasants and that will not change. If it weren't for Germany's good will Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, would have been kicked out of the EU long ago. Germany will remain the EU's driving motor as far as economics are concerned Merkel or not Merkel. My opinion.
(Skenderbeu 1444, 31 July 2021 18:04)
Why is Serbia so concerned about who will lead the EU? For all its actions, Serbia does not appear to embrace European values. Constant criticism of the EU in the Serbian press, while fawning over Russia, indicts Serbia is not interested in joining the EU.
(Selma, 1 August 2021 17:42)
Please define "European Values" ... Is it the Portuguese model, the Germany model, the Hungarian model... what does it mean?
Russia is Germanys second largest trade partner (after China)... does this make Germany against "European Values."
The reason why public opinion in Serbia is becoming very anti-EU, is the same reason its becoming anti-EU in all European countries. Its an organization that is completely out of touch and ruled by a group of people who are not elected...
(M, 2 August 2021 15:09)