Feature: Franco-German leadership on display at European Parliament

Wednesday's historic visit by French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg allowed the two leaders to reassert the leadership of France and Germany over the European Union (EU), which has been severely tested by a succession of crises.

"Since your predecessors Francois Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl spoke before Parliament, you are the first heads of state and government to take the floor before the representatives of the European people to address the unprecedented challenges facing Europe," said EP President Martin Schulz, hosting the two leaders in the Strasbourg chamber.

The joint visit by the two EU heavyweights was eagerly awaited, and in more ways than one. First, for historical reasons, Schulz explained. "The visit of Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel is the symbol of Franco-German reconciliation and European unity," he said.

But the visit was above all an urgent political response for a union facing a deep, even existential, crisis, which has led many MEPs to confess their concerns over the rise of populist forces that want to reclaim national sovereignty and which are seen as a threat to the cohesion of the EU, even its future existence.

Faced with multiple crises on economic and financial fronts, as well as that of migration, the EU is often seen as the front of all evils and vilified by a section of the political spectrum, notably a far right boosted by its performance in the polls and growing acceptance of its ideas by a European public tested by economic crisis and disoriented over the issue of refugees.

"Thank you, Mrs Merkel, for honoring us with your visit along with your 'Vice-Chancellor of the province of France'," quipped French MEP Marine Le Pen, president of the far-right Front National, and who in each parliamentary session uses her time to attack virulently what she sees as the mistakes of an EU that "is falling apart".

"When Kohl and Mitterrand came to Parliament, it was a partnership of equals," added UKIP president Nigel Farage, who wants the UK to leave the EU altogether. "This is no longer the case. France is now diminished, constrained by the single currency. It is ironic that a project designed to contain German power has ended in a Europe dominated by Germany."

The so-called "Franco-German motor", the heart of European integration, has shown signs of significant exhaustion in the management of the latest crises facing the EU.

It creates "confusion between leadership and domination", said Polish MEP Antoni Legutko, who sits with the European Conservatives and Reformists group.

"Do you not think that part of the problem lies with the fact that just one or two countries decide everything for all the others," he said.

Faced with this barrage, Hollande and Merkel could only implore the Parliament to show unity and solidarity while advocating "a strong Europe" capable of overcoming the various crises.

"When Franco-German cooperation does not work, the whole of Europe suffers," Schulz had said, welcoming the two leaders.

"If in times of crisis they come to a good compromise, then Franco-German cooperation is beneficial for all our partners and the whole EU," he added.

Against the temptation for EU countries "to retreat into their national shells", which would condemn Europe to "powerlessness", Hollande advocated an "outgoing Europe", able to "reaffirm the simple and clear principles of solidarity, responsibility and firmness".

His comments were echoed by Merkel who said: "We must now resist the temptation to fall back into national government action. Right now we need more Europe! Germany and France are ready."

"We need a Europe much stronger than it is today," the French president concluded. "As for those who do not want to reinforce Europe, they only have to leave," he told the far-right MEPs at the end of the debate, receiving applause from a large part of the Chamber. Endit