Edit: Ahmed Al-Kumy

French President Emmanuel Macron's ambition to lead the European Union is taking a devastating blow after a political eert told the Daily Express that the French president "will not become the de facto leader" of Brussels after Angela Merkel leaves.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is preparing to step down as Chancellor, which represents a dramatic shift in German and European politics as German elections (Parliament) begin.

Merkel has been at the helm of Germany for 16 years since 2005, leading her country and the European Union.

Although France and Germany often failed to appear clearly in the leadership of the Union, many political experts felt that France sought any opportunity to lead the European political scene.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel are largely seen as the leaders of the European Union in Brussels, behind which the other EU countries are moving without explicitly stating this.

As the end of Merkel's stay in power nears, some in Europe and outside Europe look forward to a greater role for Macron, qualifying him to be in the place of actual leadership of the European Union, given his role over the past years with the Union, and the fact that he was often integrated into policies. Brussels, including throughout the Corona virus pandemic, said the health crisis had proved that the bloc needed to "strengthen" its powers to deal with international crises.

In recent times, Macron and Merkel have pushed for a comprehensive European plan to address migration flows from Afghanistan as people flee Taliban control.