French President Emmanuel Macron hosted outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday, Wednesday, during a farewell visit after 16 years in office. Crowds welcomed the German leader, and she was awarded the highest honor in France. As a gesture of thanks for Merkel's contributions to French-German relations, which she has navigated with four French presidents, Macron invited her to visit the town of Beaune in the Burgundy region to plant vines.
Merkel, who was accompanied by her husband Joachim Sauer, received a warm welcome as she walked with Macron through the crowds and met a group of well-wishers who were chanting "Angela, Bravo!". Macron tweeted in German "France loves you" before receiving her in the city, where a piano concert and a dinner were held. Merkel is also set to receive the Legion of Honor from Macron, which is the highest award in France.
Macron was the fourth French president Merkel interacted with during her tenure, following Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy, and François Hollande. The two leaders come from different generations and have different approaches to international issues, having differed behind the scenes over matters like Berlin's preference for budget austerity and Macron's desire for a European defense strategy that does not rely on the United States. Nevertheless, they have been effective partners, particularly in leading an unprecedented recovery package in the European Union to assist economies weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
