German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants to ratify the Mercosur agreement "quickly"

The European Union states must "quickly" ratify the free trade agreement between the EU and the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay), which France opposes, the newly elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Paris on Wednesday.

"The agreement with Mercosur should be quickly ratified and implemented," the Chancellor said at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, saying he was aware of Paris' reservations on the subject.

"We will find agreements that allow for the fair preservation of working conditions and fairness for our producers," replied the French president, while France opposes these agreements for fear of an agricultural revolt.

Another point of divergence between the two countries is that Berlin did indeed relax its "debt brake" rule in March, which limits the country's borrowing capacity for military and regional spending, but it is not ready to give the green light to Eurobonds, promoted by Paris.

Despite these points of disagreement, the two leaders expressed their willingness to "respond together to the challenges that Europe faces" by giving a "new start" to the bilateral relationship.

"We want action to be systematically built together. We want to respond together to the challenges that Europe faces," declared the French president, calling for the revival of the "Franco-German reflex" after four often complicated years with the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz.

Friedrich Merz also arrived in Paris, the traditional first stop for a new German leader abroad, with the ambition of restoring Germany's full weight in Europe after several years of withdrawal.

"We have a special responsibility for Europe. We will work together for a better common future," he insisted, promising "decisive impetus" for European integration.

Friedrich Merz will then travel to Warsaw on Wednesday, where he also hopes to revive suffering relations, and then to Brussels on Friday.

The forced election of the new German chancellor by the Bundestag deputies on Tuesday, after two rounds of voting when it was supposed to be a formality, is causing concern.

Because it has revealed the political fragility of the conservative leader and his coalition with the Social Democrats, on whom the whole of Europe is counting to put Germany back at the centre of the game after years of stagnation under Olaf Scholz and six months of domestic political crisis.

Paris has high hopes for Friedrich Merz, who speaks openly about strengthening European sovereignty, including military sovereignty.