Final draft (author approved)Shelf classification: Politics/European UnionFranco-German RelationsThe Franco-German relationship is commonly presented, and accepted, as the driving force underpinning the move towards European Integration. Through a careful examination of the issues involved in the dynamics of the Franco-German relationship, the governance of the EU, the properties of the EU policy process and the direction of change in post-cold war Europe, the author seeks to answer three fascinating questions:? To what extent does the Franco-German relationship exercise leadership, joint or otherwise, within and beyond the European Union?? Has there been a policy convergence between France and Germany during the last decade?? Is there a changing balance within the Franco-German relationship?The focus of the text is by turns historical, institutional, comparative policy-oriented and EU specific, giving the reader an in-depth insight into the background to, and the workings and significance of, the relationship between two of Europe's most influential powers.Key features:? Written in a clear, jargon-free, accessible style? Provides an invaluable guide to a wealth of both primary and secondary reference material? Addresses a number of issues at the cutting edge of comparative European politics and European Integration studies? Special reference to the evolution of the FGR in the post-1989 periodFranco-German Relations will be essential reading for courses on the European Union within Politics and European Studies degrees, and will also be of interest to students Contemporary France and Germany.Alistair Cole is Professional Research Fellow at Cardiff University.political dynamics of the european unionSeries Editors: Professor Kenneth Dyson and Professor Kevin Featherstone, both at the Department of European Studies, University of BradfordA fresh and innovative new series, written by leading authorities, providing students and researchers with a concise analysis of key topics relating to the state of the European Union and its future development. Combining insights from the theoretical literature with brief institutional descriptions, each book in the series focuses on three key questions, 'Where does power lie?' 'What is changing, how and why?' and 'What are the likely scenarios for development?' , thereby enabling the reader to gain a better sense of the dynamic processes of politics at EU level.