A new axis in Europe: France and Italy sign the Quirinal Treaty
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Rome, Nov 29 (Sputnik).- By signing the "historic" Quirinal Treaty, Rome and Paris not only hope to give new impetus to bilateral relations, but also to strengthen the EU, which has been plagued in recent years by problems interiors and exteriors.The Franco-Italian DragonIn recent years, the changes in Franco-Italian relations have not ceased to surprise. In 2019 the French ambassador in Rome, Christian Masset, was called to Paris for consultations after the meeting of the Italian Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, with the yellow vests, but now he is so enthusiastic about bilateral relations that he speaks of "a moon of honey between the two capitals”. France and Italy, respectively, the second and third largest economies in the EU have much in common and are closely linked. Trade exchange amounts to 95,000 million euros per year. France is the second trading partner for Italy, while Italy is the third for France. There are also several important bilateral projects, such as the high-speed line between Turin and Lyon, which should be completed by 2029. All of this creates a solid base to strengthen ties also at the political and diplomatic level, something that is made possible after Mario Draghi came to power in Italy in February 2021. The new prime minister established such close collaboration with French President Emmanuel Macron that the German magazine Der Spiegel described it with a new acronym: Dracon. 360-degree collaborationOn November 26, this harmony resulted in the signing of the Treaty, which received its name from the Quirinal Palace, the residence of the President of the Italian Republic. Ironically, Di Maio, the architect of the diplomatic crisis between France and Italy that broke out almost three years ago, was present at the solemn ceremony. The new agreement provides for greater coordination between the two countries in all spheres: economy, education, science, defense, migration policies, justice and even the conquest of space. In addition, from now on, at least once every three months, an Italian minister will participate in a meeting of the French Council of Ministers and vice versa. But the Treaty is not limited to bilateral issues. Article 3 stipulates that "the Parties shall consult regularly and at all levels in order to reach common positions on policies and matters of common interest before the main European events".With Europe in mindIn fact , both parties stress the importance of the European dimension of the agreement. In the words of Macron, the two countries "are going to create a Franco-Italian reflection at the service of the European project thanks to a common geopolitical vision", so that Europe is "stronger and more sovereign". In turn, Draghi explains that the Treaty will help build a common European defense, "complementary" to NATO, which is an indispensable step towards "European sovereignty". This insistence on "sovereignty" is a key moment. Faced with troubled relations with Russia and a shift in Washington's foreign policy that is increasingly focused on rivalry with China, the European foreign ministries realize the need for the EU to adopt a more active and independent role in the international scene and equip itself with the appropriate instruments to address the most important problems, such as migration or the digital and ecological transition.Towards a European triangle?For this, it is essential to strengthen collaboration between the members of the EU and the Quirinal Treaty is a step in this direction. In practice, it establishes an axis between Paris and Rome that is added to the existing one between Paris and Berlin, which is based on the 1963 Elysee Treaty and around which EU policy gravitates. Now, to complete this European triangle, a similar agreement will have to be drawn up between Italy and Germany. At the same time, the consolidation of power in the EU may encounter not inconsiderable obstacles. In the conjunctural plan, two of the three members of the triangle are in a delicate political situation. France is about to enter the presidential campaign that will not be easy for Emmanuel Macron, while in Germany the long leadership of Angela Merkel is coming to an end, which creates a certain ambiguity regarding the geopolitical course of the future ruling coalition. From a broader point of view, strengthening ties between the strongest EU countries may provoke an ambiguous reaction from other members. The case of Hungary and Poland shows that relations within the Union are far from balanced and it is likely that Warsaw, Budapest and other Eastern European capitals understand the concept of European sovereignty quite differently from Paris and Rome.(Sputnik)
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