After years of tense relations between Rome and Paris, The Quirinale Treaty is expected to boost cooperation at bilateral and EU levels. Yet Germany will maintain its prominence in the EU bloc
Tense relations between Italy and France almost two years ago were described by France as ''the worst of its kind since World War Two'' - when former Italian prime minister Benito Mussolini declared war on France in 1940.
According to Teresa Coratella and Arturo Varvelli, researchers of the European Council on Foreign Relations , the Franco-Italian pact is a mutual need to overcome divergences and improve internal cooperation. Bodo Weber, a Senior Associate of the Democratization Policy Council , said that the treaty comes at a turning point for the EU, considering the intermediate period in Germany with the end of the Angela Merkel-era and ahead of France's EU presidency next year.
Their relations have developed in recent months as the Italian premier has a pro-EU bent compared to the previous anti-EU government and is interested in finding a stronger role for Italy within the EU. But according to Coratella and Varvelli, this agreement symbolises a new juncture between France and Italy with German involvement.
''If France-Italy cooperates closer then, it would mean close cooperation with other South-Western member states like Spain and Portugal.''