With the geopolitical upheaval brought about by Donald Trump's arrival in the White House, the rise of the far right in Europe, and the war in Ukraine, a politically strong Franco-German axis is more necessary than ever. All hopes of French President Emmanuel Macron are pinned on it. in the new German Chancellor, Friedrich MerzThe conservative, from the same party as former Chancellor Angela Merkel, the CDU, is a convinced Europeanist, and Macron seems to be much more in tune with him than with his predecessor, Olaf Scholz. It's customary for a new chancellor's first official trip abroad to be to France, but Merz traveled to Paris less than 24 hours after being appointed. It's quite a statement of intent.