Spiegel has another article on Sarkozy and his “tense” relationship with Germany’s Angela Merkel (hat tip: Certain Ideas of Europe). Of course none of this is new, but I’m starting to wonder if the Germans as Adam Gopnik are ever going to learn to love the man who stopped the Human Bomb. Sugary excerpt:
But the Germans and French are not just clashing over questions of style -- issues of substance are also leading to cracks in the European Union's most important partnership.
[…] It's possible that Europe's legendary Franco-German motor might shift into neutral for a while. Sarkozy has replaced consultations with a tendency to dictate. The implied threat for Berlin is clear: Either you go along with French plans, or Paris will go it alone.
And that could lead to the next showdown. Sarkozy wants to force the EU to impose extra sanctions on Iran. But instead of working with Germany on a plan of action as a preferred partner, Paris simply informed Berlin of its intentions via a diplomatic note, as if it were any other EU member.
[…] Now both governments are trying to avoid a further escalation of the Franco-German spat. "Relations between the two are really good," claims a Merkel confidant.
But Sarkozy will need some practice at sounding conciliatory. He told his cabinet last Wednesday that Merkel was "a woman from the east," in reference to her East German roots.
The Élysée Palace quickly tried to smooth over the gaffe: Apparently Sarkozy was merely trying to point out that growing up in East Germany meant Merkel did not have the "same affection for France as people from the neighboring Rhineland."
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