If they are smart enough, they will present France as the only organized entity that can assume the lost functions of a central government. They will emphasize the terrible disorganization and helplessness of the rest of German territory and spread the word (for sure, true in some cases) about conflicts erupted between civilians and soldiers in the cantonment areas. Even the group can try to incite this kind of conflicts to gain some local advantage. And, above all, try to keep national differences between France and Germany at minimum.
The powers that be would probably want to play the EU card, claiming to have the reconstruction of the whole of Europe as a goal. Of course, nationalist sentiments will be a strong factor, the idea of belonging to a "nation" based on a common language is after all a European invention. But before that became prevalent, local cultural identity was as, if not more, important. See a pattern? The sphere with which we supposedly identify expands. First it was the family/group, then village/clan/tribe, all the way up to the idea of UN. If we´re attacked from outer space, most people will probably start thinking of themselves as earthlings rather than whatever else.
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