European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen did not show up at the inauguration of Notre Dame today, where she had been expected, along with roughly 40 heads of state and government, including Trump—this following her flight forward in signing the Mercosur agreement, despite opposition from France, Italy and other EU member states. The agreement eliminates 90% of the tariffs on products from South America and is seen as a threat by EU farmers. It must be ratified by national parliaments.
German support for the agreement marks another step in the growing rift between Berlin and Paris, once the axis of European stability. It follows the split on the tariffs against Chinese e-cars, which France backed but Germany opposed, whose automakers produce their e-cars in China.
