Francja w stosunkach międzynarodowych.Mocarstwo europejskie czy globalne?
FRANCE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. A EUROPEAN OR GLOBAL POWER?

Summary/Abstract: Power status as a category in the theory of international relations has been thesubject of analyses conducted by many researchers, including in France. Puttingout a challenge to states, numerous non-state actors of international relations joinedthe game for power. The experience of World War II left France with a deep senseof humiliation. De Gaulle considered it his mission to restore France’s image asa world power. The decade of his presidency (1958–1969) was the apogee ofFrance world power politics. Next to the seat in the UN Security Council, its basisincluded nuclear potential, contesting the United States’ leading role in the world,the Élysée Treaty with West Germany, the eastern policy, and France’s withdrawalfrom the military side of NATO in 1966 while still remaining a member of thealliance. The fall of the Soviet Union essentially changed France’s situation asa world power. France could no longer pretend to be conducting a policy of equaldistance between the blocs. French elites, however, believed that the country still was a world power. It pursued its goals in multilateral structures. And it alsoattempted to play the role of the intermediary between the West and the Islamicworld. Together with Russia and China, it advocates a multipolar world. Franceis the fifth world power in terms of share in global GDP, the fifth largest importerand sixth exporter in the world. It is among the countries that are the most opento foreign investments. The French military is the third largest in NATO. It oftenconducts foreign interventions. Between 2008 and 2012 France was the fourthexporter of arms in the world. In its policies it takes advantage of its culture andlanguage as well. It has the second largest network of diplomatic missions in theworld. It is particularly interested in the affairs of the Mediterranean Region andAfrica. The French have come to terms with the fact that they are not playing asgreat a role in international relations as the United States, China, Russia or evenGermany, but they also know that they have assets allowing them to be a Europeanpower with global aspirations.

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