Relations between France and Germany have significantly deteriorated since Friedrich Merz's election as Chancellor in February 2025, despite initial hopes for improvement. A year into Merz's coalition government, deep disagreements persist on critical issues including the Mercosur trade deal, the freezing of Russian assets, the 2035 ban on internal combustion engines, potential dialogue with Vladimir Putin, joint debt for defense funding, the Future Combat Air System (Scaf), and relations with the United States. French President Emmanuel Macron's recent comments to European newspapers, particularly his advocacy for common European borrowing for defense and protectionist measures for continental industry, have reportedly caused "irritation" in Berlin, highlighting the growing list of bilateral frictions.