France and Germany moving towards closer political union

Last year Germany went out on a limb by calling for political union in Europe. The idea was met with little enthusiasm elsewhere in the eurozone, but particularly in France.

After the election of French President Francois Hollande in May, it seemed thatviews of the EU's foremost political duo could not be further apart.

But the mood has since changed and serious plans are underway to create – if not a full political union – then something close to it.

Watching the evolution...