President Emmanuel Macron of France and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz opened a meeting at the Elysee on Tuesday to try to bridge growing bilateral tensions that had pushed back the planned summit between Paris and Berlin.
Scholz arrived at the Elysee Palace around 12:30 local time (10:30 GMT), and Macron met him at the foot of Scholz’s official car. They shared a brief photo moment—as scheduled—before continuing with a working dinner.
The talks were accepted on both sides after widening disagreements on several key issues, including defense and energy, which had caused the Franco-German summit to be postponed at Fontainebleau.
Inconsistencies with the Iberian exception
Official explanations point to timing issues from various ministers, though Paris and Berlin have held markedly different positions in recent weeks, especially on the European Union energy policy after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
France seeks to apply the so-called EU Iberian exception to lower electricity prices, a stance Germany opposes.
Germany has backed the MidCat gas pipeline project between Spain and France, but analysts expect it to be abandoned in favor of a submarine link to transport hydrogen between Barcelona and Marseille.
Defense issues have added further strain, with developments such as the anti-missile shield project in Berlin and divergent views on future European fighter aircraft in which Spain has participated. EU efforts and the euro figure into the broader debate.
Out of whack
Observers note a lack of personal harmony between Macron and Scholz. Scholz took office in December 2021, following the era when Macron enjoyed close ties with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Minutes before Scholz’s Elysee arrival, French government spokesman Olivier Véran downplayed the disagreements and highlighted progress by Paris and Berlin since Macron became president. He stressed that the Franco-German axis remains active and that the visit signals a desire to move forward together, even as priorities differ.
When questioned about reaching a mechanism to reduce energy prices, Véran recalled the consensus driven by France to propose a formula at the European summit last week.
France reaffirmed its position in favor of extending the Iberian exception within the EU to allow a cap on gas prices used to generate electricity.
Véran emphasized that this is a practical tool that would strengthen the union, noting that moving forward together would enhance bargaining power with energy producers who may seek to divert supply elsewhere when prices are restrained in Europe.
The French stance continues to push for a broad gas price ceiling within the EU, while Berlin remains cautious about generalizing such limits given potential risks to European energy security.
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