Berlin – France’s newly minted Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, embarks on his first official trip to Berlin on Monday, aiming to address key international issues and mend fences with Germany.
The 34-year-old Attal, the youngest and first openly gay French prime minister, will be greeted with military honors by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. This visit marks a significant step in rebuilding Franco-German relations, which have faced strain since Angela Merkel’s departure in 2022.
Attal, a rising star in President Emmanuel Macron’s administration, served as government spokesman and education minister before his recent appointment. His visit comes at a crucial juncture, with the war in Ukraine, energy security, and EU reforms demanding coordinated action.
While historical friction has occasionally plagued the Paris-Berlin axis, recent efforts have shown a willingness to overcome differences. In December, Germany and France finally agreed on joint proposals for EU debt rules, resolving a long-standing impasse. Similar breakthroughs occurred on electricity market reforms and, notably, Macron’s well-received eulogy at the memorial service of German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble, where he prominently used German.
Analysts view Attal’s appointment as a strategic move by Macron to revitalize his presidency before the European Parliament elections in June.