Ulrike Franke: People are - rightly - worried about the possibility of an RN government in France. But what about a government made up of the new « Nouveau Front Populaire », the new left electoral grouping? What does NFP say about French foreign and security policy ? Short thread.

People are - rightly - worried about the possibility of an RN government in France. But what about a government made up of the new « Nouveau Front Populaire », the new left electoral grouping? What does NFP say about French foreign and security policy ? Short thread.

This is the document that the parties making up NFP agreed on. It’s 23 pages long (not 8, as I mistakenly claimed in the latest Collimateur episode! Sorry had only the first part downloaded. Episode here btw lerubicon.org/collimateur-...)

What does le Nouveau Front Populaire - made up of La France Insoumise (very left), le parti socialiste (central left), the greens, and the communists (plus a few more) - say about foreign and defence policy ? Where would a French government led by them lead France?

The programme says *very little* about secdef, and foreign policy. Probably not surprising as this is an area where the different parties disagree quite a bit. Remember that this👇 was the NUPES programme (similar grouping from 2022): views from disolving NATO to staying in.

This is the part on secdef & foreign policy. First paragraph on diplomacy more broadly. NFP wants a greener diplomacy/foreign policy. A feminist diplomacy. And 0,7% of the French BIP for developing aid.

On these first points, can’t help but notice that they are *very much in line with the German government’s position* - these points can all be found in the traffic light coalition government’s coalition treaty ! Down to the 0,7% number and feminist foreign policy.

On Ukraine (full translation in alt): Sovereignty and liberty of Ukrainian people to be defended, including by arms deliveries. Oligarchs’ assets to be seized. Blue helmets to safeguard nuclear power stations (that would have to be decided by the UNSC though…)

Also not surprising as under the constitution of the 5th republic, responsibly for both foreign policy and defence are allocated to the president, not the government of the day.

That is incorrect and we discuss this in detail here lerubicon.org/collimateur-...

Dissolution : quelles conséquences pour la Défense ? [Le Casque et la Plume #5]lerubicon.org Pour cet épisode exceptionnellement diffusé le mercredi du format de débat, "Le Casque et la Plume" avec Ulrike Franke, Rym Momtaz et Elie Tenenbaum, le Collimateur fait le point sur les conséquences ...

Interesting discussion, but it does not show that the basis for this assumption (article 15 of the constitution) is incorrect, only that there are inconsistencies in the document. As it concludes, the president remains free to hold his positions, which could result in a series of budget crises.

Does that matter? Isn't foreign policy the president's domain in France?

No, that’s a misunderstanding. We discuss in detail here lerubicon.org/collimateur-...

Dissolution : quelles conséquences pour la Défense ? [Le Casque et la Plume #5]lerubicon.org Pour cet épisode exceptionnellement diffusé le mercredi du format de débat, "Le Casque et la Plume" avec Ulrike Franke, Rym Momtaz et Elie Tenenbaum, le Collimateur fait le point sur les conséquences ...

If you would be so kind to make that point in English here? What role does a parliamentary majority play in the domain of Foreign Policy and from which constitutional provision does it derive that power?

Parliament has the budget. PM is responsible for armed forces. Government majority gets defence and foreign ministers who travel to Brussels. The idea of a ‘domaine reservé’ comes much more out of practice than the constitution.

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A BlueSky thread by Ulrike Franke on Skyviewskyview.social People are - rightly - worried about the possibility of an RN government in France. But what about a government made up of the new « Nouveau Front Populaire », the new left electoral grouping? What do...

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