The French political world is in turmoil, focused on a lightning legislative campaign. President Emmanuel Macron took political professionals by surprise by announcing the dissolution of the National Assembly and the holding of early legislative elections on June 30 and July 7.
With the alliances sealed, each political group therefore began to urgently position itself on different themes. 20 minutes invites you to look at the known positions on foreign policy of the four main political parties in the election – the New Popular Front, Renaissance, The Republicans and the National Rally.
On the war in Ukraine
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 22, 2022, the war has provoked a wide variety of political reactions. Politicians around the world have been called upon to take a stand but the issue continues to divide the political world, including within alliances.
The New Popular Front (Communists, LFI, Ecologists, PS)
The different French lefts, allied in this coalition, had to find common ground. Because if the Ecologists and the Socialist Party campaigned for unwavering military support for kyiv, the Communists and the Rebels called for avoiding “the escalation of the war”.
The alliance, however, specified in its program that it would support “unfailingly the sovereignty and freedom of the Ukrainian people as well as the integrity of its borders”, in particular by the “delivery of necessary weapons”. It also provides for the seizure of assets of Russian oligarchs in banks and the sending of peacekeepers to secure nuclear power plants.
Together (Presidential Majority)
Emmanuel Macron has never hidden his support for Ukraine against Russia. At a peace summit in Switzerland on Saturday June 15, the French leader also considered that peace could “not be a Ukrainian capitulation”.
Emmanuel Macron even raised the idea of sending French military instructors there, which the United States and the United Kingdom are already doing. The Ensemble coalition will therefore unsurprisingly continue its support for Ukraine, in particular through promises of planes, weapons and ammunition.
The Republicans
In their European program, the Republicans promised “massive support for Ukraine to repel Russian aggression”. They also criticize the unfulfilled promises of the majority, believing that the Ukrainians “need fewer words and more ammunition”. The right-wing party, however, refuses a “further enlargement of the European Union” while Ukraine has submitted its application for membership in February 2022.
The National Rally
On the war in Ukraine, the position of the far-right party is murky. For several weeks, the National Rally has assured that it “condemns” the Russian war of invasion and “supports” kyiv and the RN has tried to minimize its pro-Russian sympathies by relying on the figure of Jordan Bardella.
Marine Le Pen admitted in 2011 to experiencing “form of admiration” for Vladimir Putin, a statement she reiterated in February 2022, while admitting that “what he did is eminently reprehensible”. The party line therefore remains unclear: while Vice-President Sébastien Chenu criticized the absence of Vladimir Putin at the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, the boss of the RN judged that it would have been “complicated” to invite him and “make him stand next to the Ukrainian president”.
On the Hamas-Israel war
Since October 7 and the Hamas terrorist massacres in Israel followed by Tel Aviv’s devastating response to Gaza, where more than 37,000 people lost their lives, the issue of conflict has divided the world.
The New Popular Front (Communists, LFI, Ecologists, PS)
The NFP project promises to act “for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza” and to “immediately” recognize the State of Palestine. While the Insoumis were vilified for their characterization of the bloody attacks of October 7, the alliance condemned the “terrorist massacres” perpetrated by Hamas and wants to “act for the release of the hostages”. The left-wing parties also ask to “enforce the order of the ICJ [Cour internationale de justice] which unambiguously evokes a risk of genocide.
Together (Presidential Majority)
The presidential majority, unlike the NFP, has no intention of recognizing Palestine. For Emmanuel Macron this recognition, granted by Spain, Ireland and Norway less than a month ago, would not be “not reasonable now”. The French president regularly repeats his support for ceasefire requests and calls for a “two-state solution”.
The Republicans
Republicans have always supported Israel. The day after the attacks of October 7, Éric Ciotti wrote to the President of the Republic, recalling the “unconditional support for the State of Israel” Republicans and castigating the “heavy responsibility” of the Palestinian Authority.
The right refuses to recognize Palestine, whether it is Eric Ciotti – for the moment still president of the party, or the head of the LR list for the Europeans, François-Xavier Bellamy, who estimated on BFMTV that this recognition “would vindicate the two who unleashed the hell of October 7.” However, he said he was in favor of a “two-state solution” “one day”.
The National Rally
The day after the attacks of October 7, Marine Le Pen assured the National Assembly that “the State of Israel has [vait] the right to defend oneself.” For several years, the National Rally has taken a turn on the question of Israel and anti-Semitism, to the point that Marine Le Pen estimated that the “National Front has [vait] always been a Zionist” at the end of May on the LCI set. A surprising statement as Jean-Marie Le Pen multiplied the anti-Semitic statements during his political career and that the party was notably founded by former Nazis.
On defense
The New Popular Front (Communists, LFI, Ecologists, PS)
In its program, the NFP assures that it wishes to promote French diplomacy in the service of peace, the promotion of global and feminist common goods.
Together (Presidential Majority)
On June 20, during a press conference, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced that he wanted a “solid defense, by doubling the army budget by 2030”. He also recalled the majority’s desire to “remain within NATO”
The Republicans
During the 2022 presidential elections, the right-wing party defended a sacralization of defense spending to at least 2% of GDP, the minimum threshold set by NATO. The Republicans also want to develop a war economy which they criticize the majority for having been slow to launch despite the war in Ukraine.
The National Rally
The project devoted to questions of defense of the far-right party for the 2022 presidential election, available online until recently, has been deleted. If he planned investments of 1.5 billion per year for the arms industries and a “dialogue with Russia”, it is therefore difficult to know the exact contours of their new program on defense issues. We can, however, note a change regarding the future of France in NATO, while the RN has long demanded our exit from the integrated command of the Alliance. In March, Jordan Bardella assured Politico that he was against leaving before the end of the war in Ukraine.