Elections in France Could Leave NATO Without a Key Ally – Politico
NATO is increasingly concerned about the upcoming presidential election in France. The Alliance fears that the new president may revise Paris’s defense policy and scale back the country’s participation in NATO activities.
These concerns are intensifying amid tensions in relations between the U.S. and European NATO members. At the same time, according to poll data cited by the publication, about half of French voters support candidates who are critical of the Alliance.
In particular, Marine Le Pen, the de facto leader of the far-right “National Rally,” advocates for France’s withdrawal from NATO’s integrated military command. Far-left representative Jean-Luc Mélenchon takes an even more radical stance and advocates for the country’s complete withdrawal from the Alliance.
For NATO, a shift in France’s policy could have significant consequences. France is the only nuclear power in the European Union, and its military is involved in strengthening the Alliance’s eastern flank, particularly in Romania and Estonia.
This was reported by Politico.
As a reminder, the Paris prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into possible Russian interference targeting French presidential candidates Édouard Philippe, Gabriel Attal, and potential candidate Raphaël Glucksmann.
Former French Prime Minister and presidential candidate Gabriel Attal filed a complaint regarding an alleged Russian disinformation campaign targeting him ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Earlier, the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. refuted President Donald Trump’s claim regarding Beijing’s alleged interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
