• 332@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Why is France consistently the only country with a spine in here?

    • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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      3 days ago

      Always has been, thanks to Gaullist “strategic autonomy”. The cocky old man has been proven so incredibly right these last few years.

    • RedPandaRaider@feddit.org
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      2 days ago

      Macron trying to legitimise his dictatorship (he gave the power to form a government to a party whose leaders he’s friends with that achieved only 5% of the vote) and garner sorely needed votes for the next election.

    • HobbitFoot @thelemmy.club
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      2 days ago

      The rest of Europe doesn’t want to take on the burden of an independent foreign/defense policy.

      Western European countries get to enjoy their peace dividend while not needing to answer to their public about foreign policy. Eastern Europe is scared that Russian aggression is going to include their countries.

      France is probably the only EU nation that can self deploy an expeditionary force or project power beyond its borders. France is also the only EU nation with a nuclear deterrent.

    • mlg@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I actually think they’re trying to leverage it to gain back what was originally in place instead of caving in like everyone else.

      Like right now Macron is talking big about announcing recognition of Palestine in September. He’s giving the US 2 months to bring a better deal or risk losing unilateral NATO support over American foreign policy in Israel.

      I mean its good that they’re actually deciding these things for themselves, but if Trump hadn’t blown up the global market with delusional tariff wars and hanging “allies” to dry, France probably wouldn’t have blinked an eye for anything the US demanded so long as they get paid.