Foreign policy tends to take a back seat to domestic issues in the race for the Elysée Palace. But as Brexit looms and Russia flexes its muscle, the next French president’s diplomacy and defence priorities are no trifling matter. Candidates are vying to be commander-in-chief of a nuclear power that holds a UN Security Council veto. FRANCE 24 looks at the top candidates’ foreign agendas.

Choose a candidate:




Jean-Luc Mélenchon

On Europe

The EU, we change it or we leave it.

Will negotiate democratic, social and ecological reworking of EU treaties, followed by a French referendum to decide whether to stick with the reworked EU or leave.

On Russia

It’s the moment to negotiate borders… We must discuss all borders. For example, the border between Russia and Ukraine, is it at the extremity of Crimea or before?

– Mélenchon during presidential candidates’ TV debate on March 20, 2017.

On the Middle East

On Syria, pledges to re-examine the

hypocritical alliances with the Gulf petro-monarchies (Qatar, Saudi Arabia…) and the current Turkish regime.

Wants a universal coalition under UN mandate to eradicate the Islamic State group and re-establish peace and stability in Syria and Iraq, inclusive of Kurdish fighters.

On the Middle East

Pledges to recognise the Palestinian State. Apply the two-state solution.

through the full and entire application of UN resolutions (recognition of the sovereign right of the Palestinian people to dispose of a viable and independent state; within 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital and in the respect of the principal of refugees’ right to return).

On the United States

Mr. Trump… has made and will make the world more dangerous.

– Mélenchon on Twitter, January 19, 2017.

On human rights

Offers asylum to people persecuted for promoting liberty. Pledges to reward Edward Snowden and Julian Assange and welcome them to France.

On development

Pledges to achieve objective of devoting 0.7 percent national income to development aid.


Pledges to withdraw from the IMF and the World Bank and work towards creating a Social Emergency Fund and a Social Investment Bank.

On trade and currency

Refuses free trade treaties for transatlantic trade between the EU and US, CETA between the EU and Canada, and TISA between 23 WTO countries to liberalise trade in services.

On trade and currency

Would quit the WTO and reinforce the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) as a legitimate body for organising global commerce in the peoples’ interest, instead of the G20, G7, IMF and WTO. Supports the Chinese project of a common global currency to free the global economy from the dollar’s dominance.

On defence

Pledges to quit NATO and refuses French participation in any permanent military alliance, with the exception of UN peacekeeping operations. Refuses any military intervention without a UN mandate.

François Fillon

On Russia

We must put an end to the stupid and dangerous cold war between Europe and Russia.

– Fillon to Le Monde on January 20, 2017.

On Russia

Pledges to re-establish dialogue, trusting relations with Russia

which must again become a ‘great partner’.

On Russia

Would engage in discussions with European partners, observant of the Minsk accords, to lift Russian sanctions, which

unjustly penalise our farmers and businesses.

On Middle East

France must play its part again in the Syrian crisis. I will develop contacts with all those fighting the terrorist threat, including if necessary the authorities in place.

– Fillon’s programme.

On Middle East

Would engage in frank dialogue with Saudi Arabia and Qatar

in particular with regard to support, direct or indirect, for Islamic fundamentalism.

On Middle East

Wants France to invent a new partnership with Turkey, a strategic country, because

Turkey’s place is not in the EU.

On Europe

Wants the eurozone to have a political directorate and a general secretariat.

On Europe

Would aim to create a European Monetary Fund to give Europe independence from the IMF.

On Europe

Pledges to end the European migrant crisis with measures including systematic external border controls, the creation of a European asylum law to harmonise reception rules and the systematic expulsion from Europe of foreign convicts.

On development

Conditions development aid on the co-operation of immigrants’ countries of origin so they get involved in the return of their nationals.

On human rights

Makes protection of religious minorities, in particular Eastern Christians, a priority.

On trade

Refuses the current TTIP trade agreement with the US and the unconditional recognition of market economy status for China.

On China

Promises to establish a strategic partnership with China, working closely with the Chinese on climate change, fighting terrorism and trade regulation.

On defence

Pledges to boost defence spending to reach 2 percent of GDP by 2024.

Marine Le Pen

See how Brexit, Donald Trump’s election and the rise of a Europe against the so-called European Union opens the 21st century with this insurrection of the people.

– Le Pen, in her foreign policy speech, Paris, February 24, 2017.

On Europe

Pledges to negotiate for

a European project respectful of France’s independence, national sovereignties, and that serves the interest of peoples

followed by a referendum on EU membership.

On Russia

Russia has been mistreated by the European Union. It has been mistreated by a weakened France.

– Le Pen foreign policy speech, Paris, February 24, 2017.

On Russia

I absolutely do not believe that there was an illegal annexation: There was a referendum, the residents of Crimea wish to join Russia.

– Marine Le Pen, to BFM TV and RMC radio, January 3, 2017.

On Russia

These sanctions [on Russia] are completely stupid. They have not solved any problems. They haven't improved the situation at all. All they've done is created major economic problems for the EU.

– Marine Le Pen on CNN, through a translator, 3 February 2017.

On trade

Refuses free trade treaties (TAFTA or TTIP between the EU and the US, CETA between the EU and Canada, with Australia, with New Zealand, etc.)

On the Middle East

In terms of the “lesser evil”, Bashar al-Assad is obviously today a much more reassuring solution for France than the Islamic State group if the latter came to take power in Syria as it did in part in Libya after Qaddafi’s death.

– Marine Le Pen in Beirut, February 20, 2017.

On defence

Would quit NATO’s integrated military command

so that France is not dragged into wars that are not its own.

Promises to boost France’s defence budget to 2 percent of GDP in her administration’s first year, inscribe a 2 percent minimum in the Constitution and tend towards 3% by 2022. Would increase armed forces personnel by 50,000 and buy a second French aircraft carrier.

Benoît Hamon

On the Middle East

To foster the co-existence of two states living in peace and security, I will recognise the Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel.

– Hamon’s programme.

On Europe

The European Union’s current direction is no longer possible, but simply protesting against it is no longer sufficient.

Proposals for Europe include a democratic assembly for the eurozone, some debt-sharing between eurozone countries, a trillion-euro European investment plan for ecological and economic transition, a Buy European Act and closer European defence cooperation.

On Europe

Wants to progressively pool intelligence in Europe to fight terrorism, eventually leading to a European intelligence agency.

On development

Would put official development assistance on a trajectory of 0.7 percent of gross national income. Would increase subsidies to one billion euros per year from 2020 onward, financed in part by broadening the tax on financial transactions.

On trade

Refuses ratification of TAFTA (or TTIP), the EU-US trade agreement, and CETA, the deal with Canada, and the granting of market economy status on China.

On the Middle East

…There will be no political solution [in Syria] without all the parties, at some point, being around the table. As president, I consider that a political solution one way or another requires a discussion with the Syrian regime, or in any case with representatives of the Syrian regime. But there is no political solution or any future conceivable with Bashar al-Assad for Syria afterwards.

– Hamon on France 2 before left-wing primary, December 8, 2016.

On defense

Pledges to raise defence spending to reach at least 2% of GDP by 2022.

Emmanuel Macron

On Europe

By dint of systematically presenting Europe as a scapegoat, national officials have instilled the virus of distrust. We must put an end to this epidemic by taking responsibility for our national policies and giving new life to the European ideal.

– Macron’s programme.

On Europe

European proposals include a European Defence Fund to finance shared military equipment and joint R&D programs, a permanent European general defence headquarters, a European Security Council bringing together members’ key military, diplomatic and intelligence officials, and a centralised European database for intelligence services.

On Europe

Proposes a eurozone budget and a eurozone finance and economy minister. Wants a Buy European Act.

On Russia

Says sanctions on Russia

“exist and will be necessary for as long as the Minsk Accords are not respected.

On Middle East

With Russia, Turkey, and the countries of the Middle East and Gulf… dialogue must be constant but demanding, taking into account human rights and fundamental liberties as much as respect for international law and our own interests.

– Macron’s programme.

On Middle East

Believes the conditions for Turkey’s accession to the EU are clearly not met, but that Europe should not close the door on Turkey.

On Middle East

Making Bashar al-Assad’s deposal a prerequisite for everything was a mistake. Our main problem is Daesh [Islamic State group]. But at the same time, I do not agree with those who would want to make a pact with him. Bashar al-Assad is a bankrupt leader.

– Macron in Beirut, January 23, 2017, as quoted by Le Monde.

On Middle East

France should initiate a contact group

with all Syrian, regional and European stakeholders, but also with the United Nations and the great powers to lead to an eventual political transition in Syria.

– Macron to Le Parisien newspaper on January 25, 2017.

On China

Would initiate negotiations for a wide-ranging accord with China alongside European partners, with the aim of stronger and more balanced relations in the security, commercial and ecological domains.

On China

Donald Trump’s presidency worries our compatriots and disrupts global balances, to China’s benefit.

– Macron’s programme.

On development

Wants to set development aid on a trajectory to reach 0.7 percent of national income, increasing progressively until 2030, conditioned upon economic results.

On defence

Refuses new enlargement of NATO beyond the Balkans and, if need be, Finland and Sweden. Would seek to limit NATO intervention outside its geographic area to cases that directly concern French interests.

On defence

Pledges to raise defence budget to reach 2 percent of GDP by 2025.