Macron Says France Is Having ‘Fruitful Confrontations’ With Germany

President Emmanuel Macron said France and Germany are on a different page these days but believes their different views on Brexit, climate policies or on trade talks with the United States, are “fruitful confrontations.”

“Some say the (French-German alliance) means having the same views as Germany. But it should not prevent the affirmation of French positions, deeply European ones. I believe in that method, which means sometimes fruitful confrontations, but always with the aim to build compromises,” he said at a news conference at the Elysee presidential palace that lasted almost two-and-a-half hours. He said he stands firmly by France’s opposition to a mandate given to the European Commission to open trade talks with the U.S.