In a fort overlooking the Mediterranean, Merz and Macron celebrated the restart of German-French relations and settled the dispute over nuclear power. They also intend to work together on nuclear deterrence. Green Party leader Franziska Brantner was disappointed by the results.

Germany and France are moving closer together in economic and security policy. At the Council of Ministers in Toulon, both governments largely resolved their long-running dispute over the use of nuclear power. At the European level, they now intend to achieve equal treatment of low-emission energy sources, including nuclear energy. In light of ongoing Russian attacks, both sides pledged further assistance to Ukraine with air defense and threatened Russian President Vladimir Putin with new sanctions.

The meeting was overshadowed by the government crisis in France. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and half of the German cabinet met in Toulon with a French government that may soon no longer be in office. French Prime Minister François Bayrou will put forward a vote of confidence on September 8. He is expected to lose it and the government will fall. Although French President Emmanuel Macron is not directly affected, he is politically weakened by the crisis.

It was the first so-called Franco-German Council of Ministers since the change of government in Berlin in May. During his inaugural visit to Paris, Merz and Macron had already called for a new start in Franco-German relations. Macron gets along much better with Merz than with his predecessor, Olaf Scholz (SPD), with whom relations remained frosty until recently.

Merz and Macron have so far been unable to resolve their substantive differences. This is now changing in the first places, and the Franco-German Council of Ministers on economic and security policy at the 19th-century Fort du Cap Brun above the Mediterranean is only the beginning. The focus was on economic policy.

Nuclear agreement most important economic decision

The most important decision in this regard is the one on nuclear energy. Despite differing models—France is committed to expanding nuclear energy, while Germany has shut down all its nuclear power plants—both countries no longer want to stand in each other's way in energy policy, but rather support each other.

In concrete terms, this means that Germany will no longer oppose France's use of nuclear energy, for example, at the level of European regulations. The French are not interested in financing nuclear facilities with EU funds, but rather in funding research projects to develop new, smaller reactor types.

Germany, in turn, has pledged France's support in developing hydrogen connections to southwestern Europe and in strengthening the integration of electricity grids between Germany and France. This was also enshrined in the agreement in principle reached in Toulon, southern France.

Joint nuclear deterrence as “a cornerstone of NATO security”

In addition, Merz and Macron, together with their respective foreign and defense ministers, want to launch a"strategic dialogue" on nuclear deterrence. This is"a cornerstone of NATO's security," according to a statement published by the Franco-German Security and Defense Council. Both countries agree that"France's independent strategic nuclear forces contribute significantly to the overall security of the Alliance."

Macron and Merz have repeatedly emphasized the need for a strategic dialogue on this issue in the past. What's new is that a format has now been established for it. Macron regularly emphasizes that France will remain independent in its decision regarding its nuclear weapons.

Both countries also intend to establish a joint missile defense early warning system. This will be based on an existing European project called Odin's Eye, which envisions a space-based defense system. Ground-based radar systems will also be integrated. The initiative, called JEWEL, will be open to other countries. A corresponding memorandum of understanding is being prepared.

“Maximum pressure” on Russia

The most important security policy issue was Ukraine."Despite intensive international diplomatic efforts, Russia shows no willingness to end its war of aggression against Ukraine," a joint statement read.

Therefore, in addition to increased military aid, they are considering tightening punitive measures to exert"maximum pressure" on Russia to end the war against Ukraine. France and Germany are advocating for this within the G7 and the EU. The sanctions should also target companies from third countries that support the Russian war against Ukraine. The two countries are also providing security guarantees to Ukraine, but are initially limiting them to support for the Ukrainian armed forces. The joint statement makes no mention of deploying ground troops in the event of a ceasefire or peace agreement.

Further decisions in the economic sector:

- Industrial electricity price: In order to support energy-intensive industries, the possibility of an industrial electricity price should be made possible in a non-bureaucratic and flexible manner.

- European preferential arrangements: In key and strategically important areas of industrial production, including public procurement, arrangements are to be developed to give preference to European manufacturers.

- Artificial Intelligence: The promotion of young AI talent and AI programs in both countries will be expanded.

- Reducing bureaucracy and regulation in Europe: Procedures and approvals are to be simplified to ease the burden on companies without abandoning standards. New legislation is intended to simplify existing requirements and ease the burden on approval authorities.

Green Party leader: Just a French-German show

Meanwhile, Green Party leader Franziska Brantner expressed disappointment with the results in Toulon. She told the German Press Agency that progress was urgently needed, especially on joint European armaments projects."Europe's security cannot be permanently ordered from US weapons catalogs," warned the Green Party politician. Only when the planned projects are finally implemented will a true European Defense Union emerge, with its own strength and capacity to act.

Despite the big announcements and staging, the first German-French Council of Ministers of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU) coalition was, in her view,"more of a show than a joint departure."

Even before the meeting, it was clear that there would be no progress on the FCAS air combat system. The new target is now the turn of the year. The project, in which Germany, France, and Spain are participating, aims to develop an air combat technology independent of the US. The air combat system is expected to be operational by 2040 and replace the Eurofighter. It will fly in conjunction with unarmed and armed drones.

AFP/dpa/saha