ABSTRACT
The geopolitical changes in Europe since 1989 have been every bit as disorienting as the political-economic changes of the past two decades. The reunification of Germany regenerated primordial fears of German power and hegemony among many Europeans, however irrational these might appear to more detached political observers. European publics in the early 1990s were not in the mood to endorse bold new steps toward European integration. How the Franco-German relationship will fare in the future, however, remains uncertain, particularly in view of growing popular skepticism about the European Union (EU) and European integration in both countries since December 1991. Equally uncertain is the attitude toward European integration of future generations of leaders in both Germany and France. Germany has been among the primary winners of the end of the cold war, whereas France is generally considered a key loser.
