After the presidency Hollande: French foreign policy at a crossroads

Abstract

Elected as president in 2012, F. Hollande decided not run for office in the presidential elections of May 2017, which elected Emmanuel Macron as President. Even if this decision is a product of his unpopularity because of his internal policy, the French’s foreign policy has been unusually criticized too. Laveraging the presidential prerogatives recognized in the Constitution concerning the foreign policie, F. Hollande took over the “reserved sector” as his predecerors did. Trought the use of the theories of change and continuity in international relations, this article aims to evidence the continuity of Francois Hollande’s foreign policy with the breakedowm introduced by his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy, which policy was characterized by the use of the transatlantic lever and a strong military interventionism. Lastly, this article refers to the possible transformations of this policy in the years to come, due to the end of the American unipolarity.