On 11 July 2008, Dutch cartoonist Willem illustrates the tensions between France and Germany over President Sarkozy’s initiative to create a Union for the Mediterranean. The initial plan, which aimed to link only those countries bordering on the Mediterranean, was rejected by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who demanded that the entire European Union should be involved. On 13 July, the Union for the Mediterranean is officially launched in Paris at a ceremony attended by 43 Heads of State. To the right of Nicolas Sarkozy (with his finger in the air), we can see Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the Libyan Head of State, Colonel Gaddafi (with his back turned), is opposed to the plan. In the background, the German Chancellor keeps her distance from the event and observes the actions of her French partner with suspicion.