Macron formally became President on 14 May. On 15 May, he appointed Édouard Philippe of the Republicans as Prime Minister. On the same day, he met Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, as part of his first official foreign visit. The two leaders emphasized the importance of France–Germany relations to the European Union. They agreed to draw up a "common road map" for Europe, insisting that neither was against changes to the Treaties of the European Union.