The founding partnership behind this week’s EU deal

“I’M NOT FRUSTRATED, I’m impatient,” declared an evidently frustrated Emmanuel Macron in Germany earlier this year. The French president had put European integration at the heart of his election campaign in 2017. Yet even as covid-19 struck, European leaders were still unable to agree on much. France and Germany, two founding members that have guided the European Union for over six decades, were condemned, it seemed, to settle for incremental fixes. One commentator wrote of “the end of the Franco-German love-in”. In The Economist last November, Mr Macron said Europe was “on the edge of a precipice”.

In the early hours of July 21st, however, after four long days and nights, the 27 EU leaders agreed to a deal that, for once, deserved the term Mr Macron gave it: “historic”. The agreement was officially shepherded by Charles Michel, president of the European Council, backed by Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission. But ultimately it happened because the leaders of France and Germany managed—in a crisis—to settle their differences beforehand, then bring others along. “Exceptional events”, said Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, “call for exceptional new measures.”