It’s not much of a secret that Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz are very different characters. Their deepening rift is damaging the Franco-German relationship—and Europe.

The German government has straightjacketed itself by a return to the “debt brake,” pursuing a stringent fiscal policy at a time when the country is trying to fight its way of out a recession. Two of three ruling parties think the approach is wrongheaded.

2024 will likely test Germany when it comes to its two most important defense and security tasks: helping Ukraine and improving the Bundeswehr.

2024 should be the year that sees both Brussels and Berlin start merging geopolitics with strategic thinking.