9-10 July 2026, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany: At the invitation of Andreas Bovenschulte, President of the Bundesrat (the German upper house of Parliament), French Senate President Gérard Larcher paid avisit to Berlin.
President Larcher was accompanied by: Ronan Le Gleut, President of the France-Germany Friendship Group, Vice-Chair of the European Affairs Committee, and Senator representing French citizens living abroad; Anne-Sophie Romagny, Senator for Marne, Vice-Chair of the France-Germany Friendship Group, member of the Social Affairs Committee, and representative of the Centrist Union group; Audrey Linkenheld, Senator for Nord, Secretary of the France-Germany Friendship Group, member of the Law Committee and the European Affairs Committee, and representative of the Socialist, Ecologist and Republican group; and Marie-Pierre Bessin-Guérin, Senator for Loire-Atlantique, member of the Economic Affairs Committee, and representative of the “Les Indépendants – République et Territoires” group.
The Senate President and his delegation held talks with the President of the Bundesrat and the President of the Bundestag, Julia Klöckner. They also met with several federal government ministers, notably Gunther Krichbaum, Minister of State for European Affairs and Federal Government Commissioner for Franco-German Cooperation, and Thorsten Frei, Minister and Head of the Federal Chancellery (responsible for special affairs).
In addition to parliamentary matters, cross-border cooperation, and regional ties — against the backdrop of the Senate’s 2025 launch of an “Innovative Franco-German Twinning Award” —discussions were focused on defense and European sovereignty.
The Senate President also held a keynote speech at the conclusion of the seminar “Media and the Fight Against Disinformation: Franco-German Responses and Strategies,” organised by the French Embassy, the Institut français d’Allemagne, and French Tech Berlin.
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