Abstract
French diplomats maintain a very high esprit de corps and reputation for professionalism. While largely a top-down organization, the French Foreign Ministry cultivates diplomats with significant autonomy and responsibility in their daily work. For its historical performance, the French Foreign Ministry is generally held in high regard among its citizens and employees. The greatest challenge for contemporary French diplomacy is maintaining its very high standards and historical focus in a time of turmoil within the European Union and transatlantic relations. France’s goals are typically global in focus, but the ministry needs to re-define geographical and issue priorities in coming years.
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Notes
- 1.
Archis Mohan, “Indian Diplomacy Fails Numbers Test,” StratPost, October 1, 2013, http://www.stratpost.com/indian-diplomacy-fails-numbers-test. Accessed February 28, 2019.
- 2.
Paul Gordon Lauren, Diplomats and Bureaucrats: The First Institutional Responses to Twentieth-Century Diplomacy in France and Germany (Stanford, Calif: Hoover Institution Press, 1976).
- 3.
“Expenditures and Receipts of General Government in 2016,” Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) http://www.insee.fr/en/themes/comptes-nationaux/tableau.asp?sous_theme=3.2&xml=t_3201. Accessed February 28, 2019; “Euros (EUR) to US Dollars (USD) Rates for 12/31/2012—Exchange Rates,” http://www.exchange-rates.org/Rate/EUR/USD/12-31-2012. Accessed February 28, 2019; “US Inflation Calculator,” US Inflation Calculator. http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/. Accessed February 28, 2019. Note—The foreign ministry budget was converted from December 31, 2012 Euros to October 26, 2016 US Dollars, accounting for historical exchange rates and inflation. The federal budget excludes Social Security, local & regional government, and quasi government body spending.
- 4.
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, “The Ministry and its Network.” France Diplomatie, 2017. https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/the-ministry-and-its-network/. Accessed March 2, 2019.
- 5.
Ibid.
- 6.
Ministère des l’Europe et des Affaires Étrangères, “Concours,” France Diplomatie. January 14, 2019. http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/emplois-stages-concours/concours/. Accessed February 28, 2019.
- 7.
Ibid.
- 8.
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, “Gender Equality at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs,” France diplomatie. January 2014. http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/the-ministry-of-foreign-affairs/gender-equality-at-the-french-foreign-ministry/. Accessed February 28, 2019.
- 9.
Ibid.
- 10.
Authors’ interview of career French diplomat, November 4, 2016.
- 11.
Ministère des l’Europe et des Affaires Étrangères, “Les Métiers Du Ministère des Affaires Étrangère” (Jobs in the Foreign Ministry), October 25, 2018. https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/photos-videos-publications-infographies/publications/brochures-institutionnelles/article/les-metiers-du-ministere-de-l-europe-et-des-affaires-etrangeres. Accessed February 28, 2019.
- 12.
Ibid.
- 13.
Authors’ interview of career French diplomat, November 4, 2016.
- 14.
Charles Cogan, French Negotiating Behavior: Dealing with La Grande Nation (Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace Press, 2003).
- 15.
Stephanie Kinney, “AFSA Benchmarking Exercise: Brazil, China, UK, Germany, France, Canada, Mexico, India Selection and Entry Level Training,” (Washington, DC: American Foreign Service Association, n.d.).
- 16.
Ministère des l’Europe et des Affaires Étrangères, “Les Métiers Du Ministère des Affaires Étrangères.”
- 17.
Ibid.
- 18.
Kinney, “AFSA Benchmarking Exercise.”
- 19.
You must have five or ten years of experience in the private sector in a role similar to a company manager and there is a different exam process. Authors’ interview of career French diplomat, November 4, 2016.
- 20.
Authors’ interview of career French diplomat, December 15, 2016.
- 21.
Ibid.
- 22.
Kinney, “AFSA Benchmarking Exercise.”
- 23.
Le President de la Républic Francaise, Le Livre blanc: Defense et Sécurité Nationale/White Paper on Defense and Security, 2013. http://www.livreblancdefenseetsecurite.gouv.fr. Accessed February 28, 2019.
- 24.
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, “The Diplomatic and Consular Institute (IDC),” France Diplomatie, January 2014. http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/the-ministry-of-foreign-affairs/training-of-diplomats-and-personnel/article/the-diplomatic-and-consular. Accessed February 28, 2019.
- 25.
Ibid.
- 26.
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, “Training of Diplomats and Personnel.”
- 27.
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, “Gender Equality.”
- 28.
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, “The Ambassador,” France Diplomatie. https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/the-ministry-and-its-network/missions-and-structure/what-diplomats-do/article/the-ambassador. Accessed February 28, 2019.
- 29.
Ibid.
- 30.
Interview of career French diplomat by authors. November 4, 2016.
- 31.
“Russia is Negotiating with Germany and France over Ukraine,” Economist. October 22, 2017. http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21709066-while-foreign-powers-argue-about-its-future-ukrainians-struggle-take-their-destiny. Accessed March 11, 2017.
- 32.
Authors’ interview of career French diplomat, November 4, 2016.
- 33.
Ibid.
- 34.
“Le livre blanc/White Paper.”
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Acknowledgment
The authors wish to thank the following diplomats and scholars who were consulted in researching and writing this chapter: Frédéric Bozo and Bernard Tuche.
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Block, B., Cousar, C., Suri, J. (2020). France. In: Hutchings, R., Suri, J. (eds) Modern Diplomacy in Practice. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26933-3_3
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