FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Francois Hollande’s Alternative Defense Vision Worrisome

New Atlanticist
Jul 16, 2025

Reading between the lines of the new France-UK nuclear entente

By
Léonie Allard

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer released a “truly historic” declaration on nuclear planning on July 10.

France
Nuclear Deterrence

Francois Hollande’s Alternative Defense Vision Worrisome

New Atlanticist
May 2, 2025

France’s foreign minister on Europe’s role in the ‘new era of multilateralism’

By
Daniel Hojnacki

Jean-Noël Barrot laid out his vision of European strategic autonomy and cautioned Washington against pulling back from the multilateral system it helped build.

Economy & Business
European Union

Francois Hollande’s Alternative Defense Vision Worrisome

Transcript
Apr 24, 2025

France’s François Villeroy de Galhau on a US recession: ‘Bad news for the US is bad news for all, including for Europe’

By
Atlantic Council

The governor of the Banque de France, speaking at the Atlantic Council, said that the European Central Bank would likely cut interest rates further this year.

Europe & Eurasia
European Union

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The Europe Center promotes the transatlantic leadership and strategies required to ensure a strong Europe.

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Content

New Atlanticist

Mar 21, 2012

Francois Hollande’s Alternative Defense Vision Worrisome

By Dan Kettinger

French Socialist presidential candidate François Hollande recently delivered his defense program in an underwhelming speech that vacillated between vague, grandiose assertions of France’s “independence” on the international stage and its need to act in concert with other countries in addressing common security threats.  

France NATO
Discussion with Jean-Yves Le Drian, Senior Advisor to Francois Hollande

Event Recap

Mar 7, 2012

Discussion with Jean-Yves Le Drian, Senior Advisor to Francois Hollande

By Adrienne Chuck

On March 7, the International Security Program hosted an off-the-record roundtable discussion with Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, senior foreign defense policy adviser to François Hollande, the Socialist candidate in France’s upcoming presidential elections. Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson moderated the conversation.

France

NATOSource

Aug 22, 2011

National Composition of NATO Strike Sorties in Libya

By Jorge Benitez

Eight nations participated in strike sorties in NATO’s Operation Unified Protector (OUP) in Libya. These nations are the US, France, Great Britain, Canada, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, and Norway.  However, there are now only seven nations conducting strike sorties because Norway withdrew its aircraft as of August 1. Britain contributed four additional fighters to help offset the loss […]

France Italy

New Atlanticist

Jul 18, 2011

French Diplomacy as it Evolves from the G8 to the G20

By Ralph Winnie

Traditionally, French diplomacy has been dominated by almost exclusive representation of the French aristocracy who controlled the selection and promotion processes of French diplomatic service. It is interesting to note that rising up through this system was Jean David Levitte, currently the top advisor to President Nicolas Sarkozy, who became the first foreign born president […]

France

Issue Brief

Nov 18, 2010

Missile Defense in NATO: A French Perspective

By Bruno Gruselle

Bruno Gruselle, Senior Fellow at the Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique in Paris, published a Transatlantic Missile Defense issue brief titled “Missile Defense in NATO: A French Perspective.” This issue brief explores the evolution of France’s stance towards a NATO missile defense collective. Download the PDF

France NATO

New Atlanticist

Nov 17, 2009

French Ship Sale to Russia Must Be Blown Off Course

By David Smith

The French Navy ship Mistral tied up at a downtown Saint Petersburg pier November 23. With the golden dome of St. Isaac’s Cathedral shimmering in the background, the amphibious assault ship made a perfect sales promotion picture, which was precisely its mission.  Some in Paris—led by the Elysée Palace—want to sell Mistral class ships to […]

France Russia

New Atlanticist

Sep 10, 2009

Does France Deserve NATO Command Role?

By James Joyner

Nile Gardiner, a former researcher for Margaret Thatcher who heads up a center named in her honor at Heritage Foundation, writes in the Telegraph that “The French do not deserve a command role in NATO.”  He calls the news that French general Stéphane Abrial will be head Allied Command Transformation “a further weakening of the […]

France NATO

New Atlanticist

Jul 20, 2009

The French & Iranian Revolutions

By Andrew Kessinger

We have recently celebrated the anniversaries of the American and French Revolutions, both violent civil uprisings that changed the course of their nation’s history.  A similar storm seems to be brewing – this time in Iran.

France Iran

New Atlanticist

Jun 29, 2009

Center of the French Speaking World Shifts to Africa

By Douglas Muir

If you’re a human being who speaks French, you’re more likely to be African than European. La Francophonie’s demographic center of gravity is now somewhere around Bamako, Mali. If you’re a human being who is literate in French — say, at a high school graduate level — you’re probably European. But not for much longer.

France Sahel

New Atlanticist

Jun 23, 2009

The King Returns to Versailles

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

Yesterday, the King of France returned to Versailles. No, readers of the New Atlanticist did not miss out on the news of a second Bourbon restoration, but President Nicolas Sarkozy’s historic address to French legislators at the former seat of royal power sent a not-so-subtle message about who is in charge in Paris.

France
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Didier Acouetey

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Africa Center

Africa Economy & Business

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Léonie Allard

Visiting Fellow

Europe Center

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Gérard Araud

Distinguished Fellow

Europe Center

English Europe & Eurasia

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Olivier-Rémy Bel

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

Jason Davidson

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia European Union

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Jérémie Gallon

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

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