A campaign to reshape France

For proud France, the past five years weren't the best of times. Since it said no to the Iraq war in 2003 and no to Europe in 2005, France has been seen – particularly in Washington – as less relevant.

France itself has been in a kind of funk, mired in a discourse of self-criticism and doubt about the future, particularly since the fall of 2005 when three weeks of rioting in the Paris suburbs resulted in a declared "state of emergency."

But as the presidential campaign heats up ahead of first-round elections April 22, new views of France's role, relevance, and identity have started to emerge – not just at home, but abroad.

"France is relevant because of its holdings – NATO, influence in EU, the Contact Group [on the Balkans], they have nuclear power, they are on the [UN] Security Council," says Kurt Volker, US deputy secretary of State for Europe. "They are one of two or three countries that have real global power projection. But they are not playing in the first tier. I think [front-runner Nicolas] Sarkozy wants to change that."

As Mr. Sarkozy and his fellow candidates fight out contending visions of a French future, it seems clear that Paris, along with Berlin, will be at the heart of any debate about what Europe should or will become. Despite a rigorous push by Angela Merkel of Germany to create a new Europe, the shape of the EU is on hold until the final round of the French elections, May 6.

"Paris and Berlin have the responsibility to define what Europe will be," offers Bernhard Kampmann, a German diplomat in Paris. "Without a French decision to want Europe, it will not be possible."

And internationally, as the Iraq war remains unresolved and the US develops a more multilateral vision on resolving conflicts, a pause in the "decline of France" rhetoric may be in order, say experts.

"When it comes to [US] allies with compatible views, partners with similar views on international sovereignty and law, it's hard to find anyone outside Europe," says Guillaume Parmentier at the Center for America and Transatlantic Relations in Paris. "Where are the Americans going to find friends, allies, partners, in this realm?"

For many reasons, including its extensive diplomatic and cultural networks, and its active though quiet cooperation on international security, France brings more to the table than it may have been credited with, experts say.

While France has not participated in the Iraq war, France hosts one of the largest counterterrorism operations in Europe. Cofounded by the CIA and French intelligence services in 2002, the "Alliance Base" program in Paris – along with other French police, security, and judicial agencies – works with American intelligence services on a daily basis.

The French also take one of the toughest stands globally on nonproliferation in North Korea and Iran, earning high marks even from John Bolton, former US ambassador to the UN.

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