Germany's Merkel, France's Macron To Meet After Successful Joint Effort On COVID-19 Stimulus

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Merkel are expected to meet at Macron’s summer residence on Aug. 20, a European diplomat told Reuters on Monday.

The Merkel-Macron meeting follows a successful joint effort by the two leaders on a stimulus package to boost European economies and industries amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A new 750 billion euro recovery fund ($880 billion) will be used to create jobs and spur growth on the continent.

The recent stimulus breakthrough could mean closer ties between Merkel and Macron. The two leaders clashed over several issues in 2019, and have different approaches to leadership.

Merkel, 66, a member of the center-right Christian Democratic Union party, is known for her pragmatic and consensus-driven politics.

Macron, 42, a member of the centrist La Republique En Marche party, is considered to be ambitious but also impatient.

In November, Macron told The Economist that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is experiencing “brain death,” with Merkel swiftly rejecting his description of the security alliance. Merkel and Macron have also sparred on issues such as climate change, Brexit and economic policy.

The Franco-German relationship has defined European politics in the post-World War II era. In January 1963, French President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer signed the Elysee Treaty, a symbol of friendship between two countries that have had centuries of enmity. In recent years, Merkel’s close relationship with former French President Nikolas Sarkozy amid the European debt crisis has been dubbed “Merkozy” by the press.