Mr Macron on Sunday congratulated Mrs Merkel and interim SPD chief Olaf Scholz after Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) ended months of political uncertainty by voting in favour of forming a new “grand” coalition government.
The French President’s ambitious reform plans for deeper European integration were put on hold after Mrs Merkel failed to secure a ruling majority in last September’s federal elections, a result which led to the longest coalition negotiations in postwar history.
Mr Macron’s office said in a statement: “The President of the Republic is pleased with the result of the SPD vote.
“It’s good news for Europe. France and Germany will work together on new initiatives in the coming weeks to move the European project forward.”
The EU reforms put forward by Mr Macron, French officials say, have been met “favourably” by both the SPD and Mrs Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU).
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Mrs Merkel could be sworn in for a fourth term in power as early as next month after members of the SDP voted overwhelmingly in favour of entering a new coalition with the CDU, marking the end of a months-long deadlock that threw Germany into an unprecedented political impasse.
Mrs Merkel took to Twitter to congratulate the SPD, saying: “I look forward to working with the SPD again for the good of our country”.
Mr Scholz, for his part, told reporters in Berlin that the vote was a “really important democratic decision” for Germany.
He said: “We now have clarity: the SPD will join the next German government.”
But Mr Scholz refused to confirm reports he would be the next finance minister, saying only that the Social Democrats would appoint three men and three women to the federal cabinet.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also hailed the SPD vote. “I think it’s good for our country that this period of uncertainty is over,” he said, adding that he would propose Mrs Merkel as chancellor to the lower house of parliament – a mere formality – as early as Monday.