State visit to France: Frank-Walter Steinmeier calls for “reason and heart” in Europe

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for more prudence and humanity in Europe in view of the current crises. "Reason and heart, that's what Europe needs again today, in a time of wars and crises in which our democracies are under attack like not since the Second World War," said Steinmeier at the start of his three-day visit to France in Paris.

Reason and heart made the German-French rapprochement after the Second World War possible in the first place, he said, referring to a quote from the French writer Victor Hugo. In Europe, Germany is the heart and France is the head, Hugo wrote. Whether today's French and Germans would recognize themselves in this anatomical attribution remains to be seen, said Steinmeier.

“Human dignity, peace, freedom, democracy”

There can only be one answer to the current crises: "Europe must now stand up, united and self-confident, for the values that have made us who we are: respect for human dignity, peace, freedom, democracy," said Steinmeier.

Together with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, he wanted to honor the Jewish historian and resistance fighter Marc Bloch, who was murdered by the National Socialists, during a visit to the Paris Pantheon on Thursday. The spirit of Bloch, who advocated better understanding and mutual understanding, should continue to be the driving force of German-French friendship in the future, said Steinmeier.

He also held out the prospect of signing a new agreement for the German-French Youth Office - "a promise for a new generation of young Germans and French people who want to understand, appreciate and learn to love each other."

Farewell visit to “a good friend”

Accompanied by Macron, Steinmeier plans to travel on Friday to Bordeaux, where space and defense will be the focus of the visit.

The state visit on Thursday and Friday was "something like a farewell visit to a truly convinced European and a good friend," Steinmeier said before his departure to the address of his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. Both presidents took office in 2017 and both will leave office next spring.