English
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is unclear on its line on the relationship between diplomacy and culture, notably on the content of the diplomacy of influence. This ambiguity is deliberate, as it conceals what is really at stake. For decision-makers, budget and profits come first. Laurent Fabius’s mandate as minister (2012–2017) marked a shift in policy. Fabius gave substance to France’s diplomacy of influence—the backbone of which is French economic success abroad. His successor appears to be continuing this policy, but beneath the surface, Jean-Yves Le Drian has shown an unflinching commitment to strategic and security affairs instead.
- French diplomacy
- French policy of influence
- French culture abroad