War and Elections: French Presidential Candidates on the Russian Invasion
War and Elections: French Presidential Candidates on the Russian Invasion

Author(s): Łukasz Maślanka
Subject(s): Politics, Government/Political systems, International relations/trade, Security and defense, Electoral systems, Russian Aggression against Ukraine
Published by: PISM Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych
Keywords: France; presidential candidates; war; elections; Russia; Ukraine; invasion;
Summary/Abstract: Russia’s attack on Ukraine dominated the French debate in the last month of the presidential campaign and sparked widespread condemnation. Candidates who had previously declared pro-Kremlin views partially modified their rhetoric, while President Emmanuel Macron, who maintains an advantage in the polls, tried to emphasise the lack of a credible alternative to himself. A prolonged war or if fighting spreads to other countries may induce the French to focus even more deeply on security issues. Cessation of the hostilities will stimulate a discussion on the legitimacy of the scale of the adopted sanctions and their consequences for France.

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