Paris — French President Emmanuel Macron urged German Chancellor Angela Merkel to confront the damage that Germany’s obsession with budget discipline is doing to the European project. "Germany can’t have a perpetual fetish about budget and trade surpluses, because they come at the expense of others," Macron said as he received the annual "Charlemagne Prize" from the city of Aachen in front of an audience including the German chancellor. As the French leader was celebrated for his contribution to European unity, he gave perhaps the clearest sign yet of the tensions emerging in the alliance with Merkel, around which he has built much of his European strategy. He called for a eurozone budget to stabilise the bloc’s economy and bring its members closer together, a main plank of his vision which Germany has so far refused to support. In comments introducing her French counterpart, Merkel paid tribute to his commitment to European unity and culture, calling him a "dynamic young politician...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.