French President Emmanuel Macron and the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, Mario Draghi, are due to sign the Quirinal Treaty on 26 November 26.

The two governments intend to take the leadership of the European Union after the departure of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the formation of the new coalition government under her successor, Olaf Scholz. France is set to take over the rotating EU presidency on 1 January 2022 for the first six months.

The Quirinal Treaty includes provisions for industrial cooperation and defense.

The transition from a Franco-German tandem to a post-Brexit Franco-Italian brand should signal the return of Franco-German rivalry and the end of the European Union.