This policy outlook explores the sources of the tension between Paris and Berlin. While both capitals are at the heart of the European project, issues have been simmering between the two sides about the Russia-Ukraine War, energy policies, arms procurement, stimulus packages, foreign affairs, and the EU enlargement. However, there are strategic root causes for this crisis, including the shift in the global geopolitical paradigms and the latent economic decline of France.
Download the Discussion PaperThe France-Germany Rift: Rationale and Insights
Written by: Tarek Cherkaoui
Tarek Cherkaoui
Dr. Tarek Cherkaoui is Manager at TRT World Research Centre. Dr. Cherkaoui has an extensive experience in strategic management, research, and consultancy across international media, tertiary education, and the creative industries throughout the U.K., Qatar, Malaysia, and New Zealand. He is an expert in international media and strategic communications, and holds a Ph.D. in Media and Communication Studies from the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, for which he was awarded the Dean's Award for Excellence in Postgraduate Studies. His research interests include international broadcasting, media discourse, international news framing, information warfare, public diplomacy, soft power, nation branding, image management, crisis communication, and political and military affairs – specifically within the MENA region. He has put forward several publications, including The News Media at War: The Clash of Western and Arab Networks in the Middle East (2017) (London: I.B. Tauris). As an academic, strategic communications researcher, and a senior manager within organizations, Dr. Cherkaoui displays excellent interpersonal and communication skills with fluency in four languages – English, French, Arabic, and German.
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