Publication

This commentary’s context is the French intervention in Mali, which confirms both the traditional French ambition to play a global security role and its willingness to engage in crisis-torn regions where it has well-established interests. The authors argue, though, that in coming years France will struggle to finance the military capabilities needed to underwrite its strategic ambitions. Consequently, France will become pragmatic in shaping its policies towards bilateral defense partnerships, NATO and the EU’s CSDP. It will select those initiatives and partners that will help it close its own capability gaps or that offer its defense industry benefits.