[junto]

The hint is there in the article. The French know that Germany in gunning for them:

   “Only the French minister [Michel Sapin] made noises that
   were different from the German line, and those noises were 
   very subtle. You could sense he had to use very judicious 
   language, to be seen not to oppose. And in the final 
   analysis, when Dr Schäuble responded and effectively 
   determined the official line, the French minister would 
   always fold.”