France, Germany: The Mediterranean Union and a Tectonic Shift

Germany and France have postponed a March 3 economic summit, their respective finance ministries said Feb. 25. The last-minute cancellation follows recent tensions between the two countries as they vie for influence on the European stage, most notably as France attempts to create an economic union for Mediterranean states. Yet, the proposed Mediterranean Union is merely a topical reflection of France and Germany's fundamentally different geopolitical alignment and goals — differences that will grow in years to come.