Election Primer. The 2017 French Presidential Election: Leading candidates’ positions on NATO, EU Defence, and Russia

In an increasingly unstable security environment, and with populism on the rise in Europe, all eyes were on France as it prepared to hold its presidential election on 23 April 2017, with a run off on 7 May 2017.

Using their own words and programmes, this ELN election primer provides an overview of the main candidates’ positions on the two key institutions for European security: NATO and the EU, as well as their views on Russia.

This short brief finds that Marine Le Pen, Emmanuel Macron, François Fillon, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, and Benoît Hamon offer distinct – sometimes opposing – visions for rethinking France’s security and defence partnerships. Irrespective of who wins however, France’s security and defence policy will change.

The strongest disagreements between them concern France’s engagement with NATO, participation in the EU defence project, and relationship with Russia. In the context of Brexit, the new Trump administration, as well as renewed tensions between Russia and NATO, the French election is providing strategic uncertainty to an already destabilised Europe.

• Primary Source

ESO: Key source: France Presidential Election 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-presidential-election-2017/

ECFR: Commentary, 10.04.17: French election candidates on the European test http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_french_election_candidates_on_the_european_test_7269

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