By Hugo Pilkington / Part of the European Development Policy Outlook Series
Amid a welter of political drama, and after having successfully hosted the Summer 2024 Olympic games, France is struggling to find a stable government. The country still has no budget for 2025. This is not the norm (the last time anything roughly similar happened was in 1979) but can be said to proceed from the unusual events of Mid-2024. The current political conundrum arose on the heels of a snap election called, in a surprise move, by Emmanuel Macron, following disastrous results for his own political movement – Ensemble pour la République – during the European elections of June 9, 2024.
These exposed deep-seated divisions within French politics, revealing a landscape fragmented into three main components that came into even sharper focus after July’s snap election results. Thus, the current political landscape can, in practical terms, be summed-up as consisting of the “presidential majority,” the far-left coalition spearheaded by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, and the traditionally Eurosceptic far-right led by Marine Le Pen.
This serves as a backdrop for understanding France’s trajectory in terms of international aid, a topic of growing importance in the light of present global challenges. The years leading up to 2023 saw an upward trend in France’s public development aid expenditure that rose from some 10.3 to circa 15.1 billion Euros from 2018 to 2022. However, this momentum was abruptly disrupted by government austerity measures, resulting in a 13% decrease in official development assistance, now standing at approximately 15.4 billion €. This year’s budget threatens even further cuts. Consequently, France has slipped to 11th position among global donors, allocating 0.5% of its gross national income (GNI) to international development, thus falling short of the targeted 0.7% GNI initially pledged for 2021. But amid the current confusion, where, one might ask, do France’s major political players stand on foreign aid, and what does this imply for the country’s international assistance efforts?
Since President Macron’s re-election in 2022, the French political landscape has undergone a marked transformation, characterized by increased polarization and the ascendance of non-mainstream political forces. This shifting dynamic has complicated implementation of Macron’s policies, particularly in the context of a diminished pro-government majority within the National Assembly. Emmanuel Macron’s ethos for governance, encapsulated in his “new way” approach, advocates a recalibration of economic policies and a more personal commitment with the electorate.
Since Macron’s re-election, French foreign policy has been shaped by myriad factors, ranging from geopolitical crises such as the Ukrainian conflict, to broader issues such as the evolving relationship between the United States and China. Macron’s emphasis on bolstering European strategic autonomy and fostering defence cooperation has led to the kick-starting of certain measures such as the European Intervention Initiative, aimed at enhancing Europe’s capacity for autonomous action in matters of security. The “presidential majority”, spearheaded by Macron, ostensibly advocates a liberal approach to international aid, underpinned by a commitment to multilateralism and global cooperation. However, recent austerity measures have raised doubts regarding the feasibility of sustaining such policies amid current domestic political constraints.
The far-left coalition, epitomized by Mélenchon’s anti-European and anti-capitalist rhetoric, represents a radical departure from conventional norms of development aid. They prioritize domestic welfare over international commitment, thus potentially foreshadowing a retreat from France’s global undertakings.
Meanwhile, Le Pen’s far-right movement, embraces a nationalist position tinged with Euroscepticism. Its stance on international aid remains ambiguous, oscillating between protectionist impulses and selective engagement with the global community. Le Pen’s brand of populism injects an element of unpredictability into France’s foreign policy, complicating the landscape for international aid stakeholders.
As France navigates the cleavages of its internal politics and grapples with the evolving contours of global geopolitics, the profile of its international aid policies assumes heightened significance. As stated by observer Philippe Marchesin, France’s international aid policy, has always rested on two pillars: solidarity with international partners as well as on the country’s self-interest. Increasingly, the balance seems to be leaning toward the latter part of this “self-interested solidarity” equation, to quote De Gaulle. The outcomes of the recent European election serve as a poignant reminder of the intricate interplay between domestic politics and international commitment.
Hugo Pilkington is Professor of Health Geography at the University Paris 8 (Vincennes – Saint-Denis) in France. He is a member of the French High Council for Public Health and part of EADI’s Executive Committee. He is co-president of GEMDEV.
Image: jpnanterre on Pixabay
I quit reading at “the far-left coalition”. It is nowhere near serious for a post on a research blog.