2023-07-02 07:59:02
They make some dream and others nightmare: Franco-German relations have caused a lot of ink to flow in the press, they have been the subject of countless essays by diplomats, sociologists and political scientists. Set up as a spectacular example of reconciliation between historical enemies or celebrated as a driving force for European integration, they are also criticized for forming a board of directors in the European Union or for blocking ambitious European progress. In short, whoever talks about Europe will have to have an opinion on the relationship between these two great countries which are anything but alike.
The Franco-German Institute, whose origins go back to the immediate post-war period, is the result of an initiative of civil society, of a visionary group of citizens who embarked on a future of understanding and cooperation even before the creation of the Republic Federal of Germany. On July 2, 2023, this institution, which today is an internationally recognized center for research, documentation and advice, celebrates its 75th anniversary. A symbolic date which motivated us to launch an opinion survey on the state of affairs, on the reality of the relations between our societies, to find out more about the practice of citizens, beyond the often vague and exaggerated representations of policies.
Declining mutual interest
The results of this survey, conducted by the Allensbach Institute with a scrupulous methodological approach of “face-to-face” interviews, allow us to have a sober look at what our fellow citizens of the two countries feel and experience. A first observation is the following paradox: the French, like the Germans, are very largely aware of the need for close cooperation between our two countries, without deducing from this that we should be interested in the other country. It’s obvious: over five years, the interest that the Germans have for France, and vice versa, has dropped significantly, in France moreover more than in Germany.
Another question in the survey focused on personal experiences in or with the other country: again, the results should humble anyone who celebrates the unique “friendship between France and Germany”. Tourism remains by far the main driver of contact. School exchanges, binational studies at all levels, the cross-border job market: all of this is undoubtedly important but only concerns a minority, around 7 to 10%, of our societies.
Initiatives that remain limited
What conclusions can be drawn ? While all the political initiatives that have led to the creation of bilateral institutions such as the Franco-German Youth Office or the Franco-German University are rightly to be praised, it is clear that the political will does not is not automatically followed by civil society. It is also true that the initiatives stemming from this same civil society, such as Franco-German associations or twinning between municipalities, certainly affect many citizens without having a very high political visibility and even less the ear of political leaders.
When we compare the results of the poll with the enthusiastic rhetoric of those who, at least in public, praise the exceptional Franco-German friendship, we realize that we run the risk of locking ourselves into a pink bubble of “Franco-German by losing sight of the vast majority of our societies.
What to do ? Let’s start from the observation mentioned above: the majority has understood that none of the European countries will get very far in this complex, multipolar and competitive world on their own. If we can assume a general availability of citizens to take an interest in Europe and the partner countries, we also note that the existing offers only reach a few. So let’s keep the mechanisms in place, but let’s think about other ways to interest people in their own future.
education and the media
Two levers have not been used enough: education and the media. Why not introduce into our school curricula, at European level, a compulsory subject which could be called “We Europeans” or simply “Europe”? I am well aware that education falls within the competence of States, but this excuse should not prevent the necessary debate.
And quality media should get out of their national logic by giving their audiences an image that corresponds to the reality of the 21st century: what happens in a country other than mine concerns me. In the European Union, national policies and the common European policy merge. France and Germany could serve as an example, and show that the image of the ” engine “ is not an empty formula.
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