The French return to NATO: Reintegration in practice, not in principle

Abstract

Sarkozy's decision to bring France back into NATO's integrated military structure in 2009 represents in some ways a break with French exceptionalism. But how deep is this change? This article examines whether the decision has led to a real integration of France along various dimensions of integration; whether the decision represents a continuation or a break with the traditional French approach and the effects of this reintegration on NATO/EU cooperation. The empirical analysis of French political and military practices in NATO combines a focus on macro-level foreign policy formulations with a micro-level study of how French officials and representatives communicate and interact on a day-to-day basis. The analysis shows that France has become increasingly integrated into NATO since 2009 on most dimensions except with regard to cultural integration. Thus, France may be reintegrated in practice, but not yet in principle.

Making Sense of the European Side of the Transatlantic Security Relations in Africa

“…Despite a certain reticence between the two at a diplomatic level, France and the US enjoy long traditions of military cooperation (Rieker, 2005), and even more so after many years of cooperation in Afghanistan. This has resulted in mutual respect and close collaboration that was further facilitated by France's reintegration into NATO's integrated military structures in 2009 (Rieker, 2013) and French willingness to take a leading role in Libya in 2011.…”