Editing Foreign relations of France (section)

==Fifth Republic since 1981==

===François Mitterrand: 1981–1995===
{{Main|Foreign policy of François Mitterrand}}

[[François Mitterrand]], a Socialist, emphasized European unity<ref>Simon J. Nuttall, ''European Foreign Policy'' (2000) p. 41.</ref> and the preservation of France's special relationships with its [[French colonial empire|former colonies]] in the face of "[[Anglosphere|Anglo-Saxon]] influence."<ref>[http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2730430.ece Mitterrand's role revealed in Rwandan genocide warning] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706182535/http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2730430.ece |date=6 July 2008 }}, 3 July 2007/ ''The Independent''</ref> A part of the enacted policies was formulated in the [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]]'s [[110 Propositions for France]], the electoral program for the [[1981 French presidential election|1981 presidential election]].  He had a warm and effective relationship with the conservative German Chancellor [[Helmut Kohl]]. They promoted French-German bilateralism in Europe and strengthened military cooperation between the two countries.

According to Wayne Northcutt, certain domestic circumstances helped shape Mitterrand's foreign policy in four ways: he needed to maintain a political consensus; he kept an eye on economic conditions; he believed in the nationalistic imperative for French policy; and he tried to exploit Gaullism and its heritage that is on political advantage.<ref>Wayne Northcutt. "The domestic origins of Mitterrand's foreign policy, 1981-1985." ''Contemporary French Civilization'' (1986), 10#2 pp 233-267</ref>

===Jacques Chirac===
{{main|Jacques Chirac#Foreign policy}}

Chrirac's foreign policy featured continuity.<ref>Michael Sutton, "Chirac's foreign policy: continuity-with adjustment." The World Today 51.7 (1995): 135-138.</ref>  His most prominent move was a break with Washington. Along with his friend [[Vladimir Putin]] of Russia, [[Hu Jintao]] of China, and [[Gerhard Schröder]] of Germany, Chirac emerged as a leading voice against the [[Iraq War]] of 2003. They opposed [[George W. Bush]] (U.S.) and [[Tony Blair]] (Britain) during the organisation and deployment of a "[[Coalition of the willing]]" to forcibly remove the government of Iraq controlled by the [[Ba'ath Party]] under the dictatorship of [[Saddam Hussein]]. Despite British and American pressure, Chirac threatened to veto a resolution in the [[UN Security Council]] that would authorise the use of military force to rid [[Iraq and weapons of mass destruction|Iraq of alleged weapons of mass destruction]]. He rallied other governments to his position. "Iraq today does not represent an immediate threat that justifies an immediate war", Chirac said on 18 March 2003. Future Prime Minister [[Dominique de Villepin]] acquired much of his popularity for his speech against the war at the United Nations (UN).<ref>Stefano Recchia, "Did Chirac Say 'Non'? Revisiting UN Diplomacy on Iraq, 2002-03." ''Political Science Quarterly'' 130.4 (2015): 625-654 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/43828728 online].</ref>

===Nicolas Sarkozy===
{{Main|Presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy#Foreign policy decisions}}

Shortly after taking office, President Sarkozy began negotiations with Colombian president [[Álvaro Uribe]] and the left-wing guerrilla [[FARC]], regarding the release of hostages held by the rebel group, especially Franco-Colombian politician [[Íngrid Betancourt]]. According to some sources, Sarkozy himself asked for Uribe to release FARC's "chancellor" [[Rodrigo Granda]].
<ref>[http://www.lacronica.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Internacional/08062007/244942.aspx Llama G8 a FARC contribuir a liberación de rehenes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225022851/http://www.lacronica.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Internacional/08062007/244942.aspx|date=25 December 2008}}, ''La Cronica'', 8 June 2007 {{in lang|es}}</ref> Furthermore, he announced on 24 July 2007, that French and European representatives had obtained the extradition of the [[HIV trial in Libya|Bulgarian nurses detained in Libya]] to their country. In exchange, he signed with [[Gaddafi]] security, health care and immigration pacts – and a $230&nbsp;million (168&nbsp;million euros) [[MILAN]] antitank missile sale.<ref name=WP_Moore>Molly Moore, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/03/AR2007080301950.html France's Sarkozy Off to a Running Start], ''[[The Washington Post]]'', 4 August 2007</ref> The contract was the first made by Libya since 2004, and was negotiated with [[MBDA]], a subsidiary of [[EADS]]. Another 128 million euros contract would have been signed, according to Tripoli, with [[EADS]] for a [[Terrestrial Trunked Radio|TETRA radio system]]. The [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]] (PS) and the [[Communist Party (France)|Communist Party]] (PCF) criticized a "state affair" and a "barter" with a "[[Rogue state]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3210,36-941475,0.html |title=Tripoli annonce un contrat d'armement avec la France, l'Elysée dans l'embarras |work=Le Monde |date=30 March 2011 |access-date=10 June 2011}}</ref> The leader of the PS, [[François Hollande]], requested the opening of a parliamentary investigation.<ref name=WP_Moore/>

On 8 June 2007, during the [[33rd G8 summit]] in [[Heiligendamm]], Sarkozy set a goal of reducing French CO<sub>2</sub> emissions by 50% by 2050 in order to prevent [[global warming]]. He then pushed forward the important Socialist figure of [[Dominique Strauss-Kahn]] as European nominee to the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/economie/20070710.WWW000000271_fmi_strauss_kahn_candidat_officiel_de_lunion_europeenne.html |title=FMI : Strauss-Kahn candidat officiel de l'Union européenne |work=Le Figaro |date=20 April 2011 |access-date=10 June 2011 |archive-date=13 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813023639/http://www.lefigaro.fr/economie/20070710.WWW000000271_fmi_strauss_kahn_candidat_officiel_de_lunion_europeenne.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Critics alleged that Sarkozy proposed to nominate Strauss-Kahn as managing director of the IMF to deprive the Socialist Party of one of its more popular figures.<ref>[[Reuters]], "France's Sarkozy wants Strauss-Kahn as IMF head" Sat 7 Jul 2007 2:38&nbsp;pm EDT [https://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSPAB00331220070707 read here]</ref>

Sarkozy normalised what had been strained relations with NATO.  In 2009, France again was a fully integrated NATO member. François Hollande has continued the same policy.<ref>Frédéric Bozo, "Explaining France's NATO 'normalisation' under Nicolas Sarkozy (2007–2012)." ''Journal of Transatlantic Studies'' (2014) 12#4 pp: 379–391. [http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14794012.2014.962737#.VPQ7MPnF-uQ Abstract]</ref>

===François Hollande===
[[File:Francois Hollande and Vladimir Putin, Moscow 6 dec 2014 - 01.jpg|thumb|[[François Hollande]] and [[Vladimir Putin]] in December 2014]]
Socialist [[François Hollande]] won election in 2012 as president.<ref>Brinton Rowdybush, and Patrick Chamorel, "Aspirations and reality: French foreign policy and the 2012 elections." ''The Washington Quarterly'' (2012) 35#1 pp: 163–177.</ref> He adopted a generally hawkish foreign-policy, in close collaboration with Germany in regard to opposing Russian moves against Ukraine, and in sending the military to fight radical Islamists in Africa.<ref>Tony Chafer, "Hollande and Africa Policy." ''Modern & Contemporary France'' (2014) 22#4 pp: 513–531.</ref> He took a hard line with regard to the Greek debt crisis.<ref>Kenneth R. Weinstein, "Hollande the hawk?." ''World Affairs'' 177.1 (2014): 87–96.</ref> François Hollande launched two military operations in Africa: [[Operation Serval]] in Mali (the French armed forces stopped an Islamist takeover of [[Bamako]], the nation's capital city); and [[Operation Sangaris]] (to restore peace there as tensions between different religious communities had turned into a violent conflict). France was also the first European nation to join the United States in bombing the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]]. Under President Hollande, France's stances on the civil war in Syria and Iran's nuclear program have been described as "[[hawkish]]".<ref>[https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21635009-france-has-emerged-americas-closest-european-ally-security-policy-cheese-eating-warriors Cheese-eating warriors], [[The Economist]]</ref>

===Emmanuel Macron, 2017–present===
[[File:Press Availability - The Official State Visit of France (41659628672).jpg|thumb|[[Emmanuel Macron]] and [[Donald Trump]] in April 2018]] 
[[File:P20221201CS-1422-2 (52650923621).jpg|thumb|[[Emmanuel Macron]] and [[Joe Biden]] in December 2022]]

On 31 May 2022, due to the reforms pushed by the president and perceived lack of recognition, the French diplomats will go on a strike for the first time in 20 years. This is a bad timing for President Emmanuel Macron as the France is holding the EU Presidency until the end of June.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Irish |first=John |date=31 May 2022 |title=Reforms, cost cutting and malaise push French diplomats to strike |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/reforms-cost-cutting-malaise-push-french-diplomats-strike-2022-05-31/ |access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref>

===Reputation ===

[[Sophie Meunier]] in 2017 analyzed the causes of decline in France's former reputation as a major player in world affairs:<blockquote>
France does not have as much relative global clout as it used to. Decolonization ... diminished France's territorial holdings and therefore its influence. Other countries acquired nuclear weapons and built up their armies. The message of "universal" values carried by French foreign policy has encountered much resistance, as other countries have developed following a different political trajectory than the one preached by France. By the 1990s, the country had become, in the words of [[Stanley Hoffmann]], an "ordinary power, neither a basket case nor a challenger." Public opinion, especially in the United States, no longer sees France as an essential power....[However in 2015 France] mattered in world environmental affairs with....the [[Paris Agreement]], a global accord to reduce carbon emissions.<ref>Sophie Meunier,  "Is France Still Relevant?." ''French Politics, Culture & Society'' 35.2 (2017): 59-75, quoting pp 61-62.</ref></blockquote>