n the past century, the relationship between France and Germany has undergone dramatic ups and downs, from hostility to reconciliation and cooperation, and now on the road to integration.

On January 22, the leaders of the French and German governments signed a new friendship treaty in Aachen, an ancient city with historic background shared by France and Germany.  Observers described this as a historic moment. The signing marks yet another effort by the two countries to strengthen their conventional cooperation, and in the meantime, announces their determination to go audaciously forward down the path of integration. The treaty aims to counter the nationalistic trend in the international relations, which is fuelled by the “American First” campaign, and to promote transnational government construction and social integration. Macron and Merkel hope that the treaty will lead the enhancement of the cohesion within the EU and resist the offensive to the current system by the rising nationalism and populism, and protect the EU public from external and other security threats. The direction may be right and has the potential for institutional innovation; however, the road is tortuous: The will is obvious, but the way is in darkness.

For France and Germany, the treaty is one of the very few options left for them. Internationally, the EU feels abandoned by the United States, who traditionally plays the role of leader in security alliance. Besides, the EU believes that it is under unprecedented external pressure, with its geo-security threatened by Russia, its economic and institutional status challenged by a rising China, in addition to the refugee crisis. Such a situation urgently calls for European countries to unite and respond in unison. Unfortunately, the progress of European integration has been repeatedly blocked. Even before losing confidence as a result of the Brexit vote, the EU member states are already knee deep in traditional political crises, many busy with their own respective affairs. Consequently, the overall unity and coordination between EU countries has become increasingly difficult. France and Germany, as founders, leaders, promoters as well as beneficiaries of European unification, naturally do not want to see it fail. Despite persistent efforts to revitalize the EU, the leaders of the two countries not only have achieved little in recent years, but are facing increased divergence and division. Under this circumstance, the two countries chose to restart the "Core Europe" strategy, which means that Germany and France need to unify first before Europe can unify. The strategy requires the two countries to build a "common space" in areas including political security, economic society and institutional organization, so that they can provide role models and motivation for the restart of European integration.

It is noteworthy that the EU countries have both expectations and concerns about the leadership initiatives and roles of France and Germany. After all, in the eyes of many member states, France and Germany are the bosses of the EU and therefore in the position to bully other countries. For instance, Germany once strongly promoted the sharing of responsibility among all the EU members over the refugee crisis, which has caused much indignation against Germany across Europe. As to France, the "Yellow Vest" movement has spread from Paris to the whole Europe, raising questions about its ability to take care of its own problems, let alone those of the EU. Moreover, the strengthening of the ties between France and Germany itself can be interpreted as the two countries’ loss of faith in EU integration and their own expression through action of Eurosceptism. In fact, in his speech at the signing ceremony of the Aachen Treaty, Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, literally cautioned Macron and Merkel against losing faith in the purpose of Europe's integration as a whole.

French and German leaders should be aware that even elite-led politics are built on the recognition and participation of the public. Outside the hall where the Aachen Treaty was grandly signed were hundreds of people wearing yellow vests. Waving signs that read "Be Fair", "Reduce Rent" and “Macron Go”, the protesters voiced their dissatisfaction and anger against elitist politicians who turned a blind eye to real social problems. The founders of the EU have already realized that the EU needs to be more than a political project; rather, it has to be a union of the public, because without the joint efforts of the people, even the greatest idea amounts to nothing. The naivety of the political class might be the major reason why EU integration has been so difficult in recent years. It is they themselves who have pushed the public off the road to a united Europe. Perhaps, Macron and Merkel have also realized it. After a brief ceremony, they met the public, talking with representatives and young students at length, and answered their questions. This can be seen as an effort by the politicians to connect to the public; however, what the public truly need is not answers, but solutions to their problems.

Times have changed. The signing of the treaty in Aachen, the capital of the Charlemagne Empire, is a reminder of the "Empire Dream". Coincidentally, the Charlemagne Empire, which was established through military expansion, was mostly made up of the present-day France and Germany. It is no longer an era of military dominance, at least not in Europe, and neither in France and Germany. Instead, today’s world is defined by the competition of soft power. As Macron said, "Europe does not dream an empire dream" and "Europe does not need a supreme leader", making it clear that the integration between France and Germany is not a step toward European hegemony. Yet, actions speak louder than words. France and Germany need to act like role models to convince the people of Europe. Merkel spoke in more specific terms, calling for continuous mutual understanding, but not only through words but also in spirit and organization. The Aachen Treaty addressed these aspects by proposing measures to strengthen the ties and coordination between the two countries in terms of not only diplomacy and security, but also social affairs that are concerned with the daily life of the people. A few examples are the mutual recognition of secondary school diplomas and the establishment of dual university programs. Such concerted efforts in social system construction can point the way for the future of France and Germany as well as Europe at large.