The geopolitical rapprochement between French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni marks a significant moment not only for European diplomacy but also for global affairs. Long plagued by political friction and ideological divergence, the relationship between the leaders of the EU’s second- and third-largest economies appears to be entering a new phase. If sustained, this détente could reshape policy coordination in Europe, particularly in the Mediterranean and North African regions, and recalibrate European alignment with global powers, including the United States.

Historically, Franco-Italian ties have oscillated between cordial cooperation and intense discord. Macron and Meloni’s personal and ideological differences have only deepened these tensions. Macron is a centrist technocrat with a background in investment banking and elite education; Meloni is a right-wing populist with roots in working-class, nationalist movements and a hardline stance on immigration. Unsurprisingly, their governments have clashed on issues ranging from migration policy to women’s rights.

Yet the recent meeting in Rome – dubbed a “turning point summit” by Italy’s Corriere della Sera – suggests that both leaders recognize the political utility of renewed cooperation. Their joint statement emphasized a “common commitment” to confront shared challenges, including economic competitiveness, industrial resilience, and foreign threats. The announcement of a bilateral summit to be held in France in early 2026 adds substance to the symbolism.

This reset builds upon an earlier period of Franco-Italian warmth under former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. In 2021, Macron and Draghi signed the Quirinale Treaty, an agreement modeled on the Élysée Treaty between France and Germany, designed to institutionalize bilateral coordination in key areas such as security, defense, digital technology, and macroeconomics. While........

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