Chapter 10
France
The French and German governments – as a duo – have been the driving force behind many of the episodes of European integration since the end of the Second World War. Similarly, the EU’s response to the debt crisis was initially driven by Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy. The team became known as “Merkozy.”
The German chancellor appears likely to be less close to the newly-elected French president, François Hollande, who comes from the other side of the political spectrum. Some commentators have referred to the new team as “Merde,” which means “shit” in French.
The president of France is the main representative of the country on the international stage. Institutional practice leaves the matters of diplomacy and defense to the ...
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