Italy and Germany challenge France influence ahead of EU summit

08:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Italy and Germany challenge France influence ahead of EU summit

As European Union leaders prepare to gather on February 12 for a key summit on competitiveness, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are positioning their countries as a new driving force within the bloc, reshaping internal dynamics and placing France on the defensive.

The two leaders are expected to present a joint initiative during an informal retreat in Alden Biesen, Belgium, calling for sweeping deregulation, faster approval procedures and deeper integration of the single market. Their coordination marks a notable departure from the traditional Franco German partnership that has long steered EU policy.

Meloni signaled the shift last month during intergovernmental consultations with Merz in Rome. She said some observers believe 2026 could be the year of Italy and Germany and stressed that both governments intend to strengthen a partnership she described as strategic not only for their nations but for Europe as a whole. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani echoed that message, telling Il Messaggero that a new era is beginning in which Italy seeks to play a leading role in the EU. He described Italy and Germany as the bloc’s most industrialized and stable economies.

The Rome Berlin alignment has already translated into tangible outcomes. In January, Italy backed the EU free trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc despite strong opposition from France, providing crucial support to secure a qualified majority among member states. Germany and Italy also pressed the European Commission to soften the planned 2035 ban on combustion engine vehicles, lowering the emissions reduction target from 100 percent to 90 percent. France opposed the change but was unable to block it.

President Emmanuel Macron arrives at the summit facing domestic political constraints and growing isolation on several European issues. He has advocated a Made in Europe industrial policy and called for joint EU borrowing to finance investment, arguing that stronger collective tools are needed to compete globally. Germany and Italy, however, have favored a different model centered on cutting red tape and attracting external investment rather than expanding common debt or introducing protectionist mechanisms.

A European diplomat told AFP that the Franco German partnership is not functioning as expected and that Meloni and Merz are charting their own course together. The remarks underscore perceptions in Brussels that the balance of influence is shifting.

Macron sought to downplay the development in comments published Tuesday, saying it was natural for Rome and Berlin to coordinate after their bilateral summit and emphasizing that the Franco German partnership alone is never sufficient. He also disclosed plans for an upcoming Franco Italian summit in the coming weeks, likely in April, signaling an effort to recalibrate alliances.

The February 12 retreat will test whether the Rome Berlin axis can broaden its support. Germany and Italy want the focus to remain on reducing bureaucracy and improving competitiveness without launching new large scale spending programs. France continues to push for common borrowing and a European preference in public procurement, measures that some northern and Baltic countries have warned could undermine simplification efforts and deter investment into the EU.

Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta, authors of influential reports on EU competitiveness, have been invited to address the gathering. European Council President António Costa has described the meeting as a strategic reflection session, highlighting its importance in shaping the bloc’s economic direction at a time of mounting global competition.