‘Seconds out, round two!’ On 29 January 1966, commenting on the extraordinary Council meeting being held in Luxembourg under the Presidency of Pierre Werner, Luxembourg Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, German cartoonist Stig portrays the trial of strength between France and its five European partners in their attempts to resolve the ‘empty chair’ crisis which has crippled the operation of the Community over the past six months. In the ring, German Federal Foreign Minister Gerhard Schröder (on the left) and his French counterpart Maurice Couve de Murville (on the right).