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Macron Sees Value in 'Fruitful Confrontation' With Germany

by Reuters

   PARIS --

   French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that having good
   relations with Germany should not mean that the two nations must always
   see eye to eye and that disagreements with Germany's Angela Merkel over
   Brexit and relations with the United States were necessary.

   "This compromise culture is very important, and I learned a lot on that
   from Chancellor Merkel," Macron told reporters in a news conference.

   "But it should not prevent the affirmation of a [distinct] French
   position when there is one," he said, adding that "fruitful
   confrontation" was sometimes necessary to build compromise.

   "So, yes, on Brexit, we're not exactly on the same line," he said. "On
   climate and energy policies, we're not exactly on the same line."