Berlin signals continued confidence in Paris despite looming political uncertainty, while subtly highlighting Germany’s own reform priorities. Government spokesman Stefan Kornelius, responding to inquiries from the dts Nachrichtenagentur, affirmed Berlin’s ongoing trust in the French government and President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership. While acknowledging the close monitoring of developments across the border, Kornelius dismissed concerns that internal political debates in France – specifically a potential shelving of Macron’s contentious pension reform – would directly impact Germany.
The French government is facing increasing pressure to delay or abandon the planned increases to the retirement age, a key pillar of Macron’s economic agenda, in an effort to avoid triggering parliamentary deadlock and potentially triggering early elections. The reform, which aims to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030, has been met with widespread public unrest and significantly eroded Macron’s parliamentary majority.
France’s precarious financial situation further complicates matters. With an outstanding debt of approximately €3.3 trillion – the highest within the EU – and a rapidly widening “pension gap” placing considerable strain on the national budget, the stability of France remains a critical concern for the broader European economy.
However, Berlin’s reassurance of continued cooperation appears laced with a quiet assertion of domestic focus. Kornelius’s remark – “The autumn of reforms in Germany occupies us sufficiently; I don’t believe we’ll undertake another autumn of reforms for the rest of Europe” – subtly suggests that Germany intends to prioritize its own ambitious reform program and is hesitant to engage in protracted cross-border intervention. This positioning underscores a broader narrative of Berlin’s focus on its own economic recovery while observing, but not necessarily shouldering, the challenges faced by its key European partner. The situation in France and potential repercussions for European stability, will remain under close observation, but Germany appears determined to navigate its own course.
