At the same time, Poincaré was by no means as anti-German as traditionally painted and favoured improving relations with Germany in order to allow France to pursue an expansionist policy at the expense of the Reich's unofficial ally, the Ottoman Empire [REF].
Poincaré's policy towards the Reich stood midway between those, like Joseph Caillaux, who wished for a Franco-German understanding and those, like Georges Clemenceau, who favoured taking a hard line.