Foreign Policy of Emmanuel Macron and Prospects of France as a Great Power

The article examines France's prospects as a power in the changing world. The starting point is the period when Charles de Gaulle was in power (1958-1969), aspiring for maximum possible independence in the international arena. The article describes the process of adaptation of French foreign policy to new international realities under the successors of Charles de Gaulle, in particular the emergence of supranational institutions, increased interactions with the United States, rapprochement with NATO and the return of the country to its military structures. At the same time, France defended its national interests, relying on a number of factors that allowed to maintain its power. President E. Macron generally continues this course, but tries to link France’s power prospects with the promotion of the idea of the “power of Europe”. In this regard, the research explores the current relations between France and the EU, the United States and NATO, the situation in the Franco-German tandem, which for a long time played the crucial role in the integration, the new role of Poland in Europe, and the problem of the possible accession of Ukraine to the EU. It is concluded that nowadays the idea of the “power of Europe” looks unrealistic. In the long term, this concept could be put into practice, but it will not necessarily serve French interests. The article also discusses Emmanuel Macron's foreign policy in Africa, in the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific regions.

power prospects, rivalry resources, adaptation, “power Europe”, influence, soft power, strategy