Germany and France: The plan that nobody is supposed to know about!
Germany and France as One Country: An Analysis of a European Superpower
What if the two largest economies in the EU dissolved their borders and merged into a single state? This analysis examines the economic, military, and geopolitical power that a united Germany-France would wield—and why this thought experiment reveals more about Europe than one might think.
The dimensions would be enormous. Germany generates a gross domestic product of approximately €4.47 trillion, while France's is around €2.92 trillion. Together, this would result in an economic output of approximately €7.4 trillion—the third-largest economy in the world, after the USA and China. With roughly 83.5 million Germans and about 68 million French, a state with over 151 million inhabitants would be created. The total area would amount to more than one million square kilometers—the largest country in Europe by area, excluding Russia.
The strengths of such a state would be remarkable. France contributes around 290 nuclear warheads and a permanent seat on the UN Security Council with veto power to the merger. Germany contributes Europe's strongest export economy and the EU's largest single market. The combined troop strength of both countries would exceed 530,000 soldiers – by far the most powerful army on the continent. France is also the EU's largest agricultural producer and covers a large portion of its electricity needs with nuclear power from its nuclear power plants.
However, the merger would also have significant weaknesses. GDP per capita differs considerably: Germany's is around €47,900 in purchasing power standards, while France's is only €40,700. France's unemployment rate is traditionally higher than Germany's. France's national debt has exceeded 100 percent of GDP for years, while Germany only briefly reached this threshold during the pandemic. Two fundamentally different administrative traditions—the centralist French state versus the federal German system—would hardly be compatible.
This thought experiment demonstrates the potential inherent in European cooperation—and why the Élysée Treaty of 1963 and the Treaty of Aachen of 2019 are already considered milestones. The analysis provides surprising figures that shed entirely new light on the balance of power in Europe.
This thought experiment illustrates the potential of European cooperation—and why the Élysée Treaty of 1963 and the Treaty of Aachen of 2019 are already considered milestones. 📋 In This Video:
📊 Combined GDP of around €7.4 trillion – ranked 3rd worldwide
👥 Over 151 million inhabitants in a single country
🌍 More than 1 million km² of land – larger than any EU country
💼 Permanent seat on the UN Security Council with veto power
🏭 290 nuclear warheads and over 530,000 soldiers combined
🔬 France's nuclear energy meets Germany's export strength
💰 GDP per capita gap: €47,900 vs. €40,700 (PPS)
🔗 The Élysée Treaty of 1963 and the Treaty of Aachen of 2019 as cornerstones
💬 Could Germany and France function as one country – or would the differences be too much to bear? Share your opinion in the comments!
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