Merkel to pay farewell visit to Macron in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Paris on Thursday to discuss international crises and European issues, days before elections to determine who succeeds her after 16 years. Key topics include the diplomatic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the fight against extremists in Africa’s Sahel region and EU affairs, both leaders said before their meeting. ''We will, of course, also have to consider what the end of the Nato deployment in Afghanistan means for us and our future missions in connection with the fight against terrorism, and what lessons we draw from its unsuccessful end, if you look at the aims we had imagined,'' she said. Germany’s parliamentary elections will be held on September 26 and Mrs Merkel is not seeking a fifth term.