Paris — French President Emmanuel Macron demonstrated his commitment to making a deeper partnership with Berlin one of the pillars of his administration as he convened a cabinet stuffed with German speakers for the first time on Thursday. At least six members of Macron’s inner circle speak German and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and finance chief Bruno Le Maire have practically a native grasp. Even the president has some knowledge of the language, according to his aides, although he did use an earpiece at a joint press conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday. The French and German cabinets will hold a joint meeting in July. After defeating the nationalist Marine Le Pen in this month’s election on a promise to make EU membership work for ordinary French voters, Macron’s relationship with the bloc’s largest economy will go a long way towards determining whether his five-year term proves a success.
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