French Foreign Policy towards the Maghreb: Analysis and Challenges
الملخص
This study aims to analyze French foreign policy, considered one of the most complex in the international system, given its ability to adapt and endure despite the rapid transformations witnessed by the world, both during and after the Cold War. This policy is based on a set of intrinsic criteria that guide France's foreign choices and define its roles on the international stage. One of the most prominent institutional features is the strengthening of the powers of the President of the Republic within the framework of the Fifth Republic, who is granted a pivotal role in formulating and implementing foreign policy. The concepts of independence and sovereignty constitute a fundamental pillar of French political discourse, based on a historical legacy that seeks to restore France's global standing. However, this ambition often clashes with a contradiction between available capabilities and the desired international standing, prompting France to pursue a pragmatic foreign policy based on balancing objectives and capabilities. In this context, historical and cultural dimensions play an important role in guiding French foreign policy, particularly through adherence to the dissemination of French values derived from the principles of the French Revolution, such as human rights and freedom, and confronting competing cultural models. French policy is also influenced by a number of economic, military, and strategic factors, through which France seeks to strengthen its global presence, particularly in its traditional areas of influence, such as the Maghreb, which is a historical and geographical extension of its vital sphere. Thus, this study reveals a blend of historical ambition and political realism that characterizes French foreign policy, and a continued effort to maintain an effective position in the international system, despite the challenges resulting from the shifting global balance of power.
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