A big-country directoire for Europe?
Some influential Frenchmen rather like the idea, but other Europeans are doubtful
THESE days it is often rather lonely being French. Just think what has happened to France's place in the world since the end of the cold war. It is hard for today's Frenchmen, especially those of a Gaullist tint, not to feel that their country is getting squeezed out of far too many things. “It is feeling rather left out at the moment,” a senior British diplomat delicately puts it. “On every front, the French exception is under mortal attack,” is how a candidly worried French strategist describes his country's lot. And since last September 11th, matters from the French point of view have got progressively worse.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “A big-country directoire for Europe?”
From the March 23rd 2002 edition
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Emmanuel Macron shows off the gloriously restored Notre Dame
Five years after it was gutted by fire, the cathedral is more beautiful than ever
Ursula von der Leyen has a new doctrine for handling the hard right
The boss of the European Commission embarks on a second term
Marine Le Pen spooks the bond markets
She threatens to bring down the French government, but also faces a possible ban from politics
The maths of Europe’s military black hole
It needs to spend to defend, but voters may balk
Ukraine’s warriors brace for a Kremlin surge in the south
Vladimir Putin’s war machine is pushing harder and crushing Ukrainian morale
Vladimir Putin fires a new missile to amplify his nuclear threats
The attack on Ukraine is part of a new era of missile warfare