French Ambitions through the Union for the Mediterranean: Changing the Name or Changing the Game?

Abstract

  Freshly elected President Nicolas Sarkozy took everyone by surprise when he launched in April 2008 a grand initiative aimed at renovating co-operation in the Mediterranean under French supervision. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) project is actually consistent with France's traditional diplomatic options. Since the 19th century, the Mediterranean has always remained a centre piece of France's external system of influence. While The French have partly relied for the last 15 years on European capacities to uphold a Mediterranean development perspective, their somewhat troubled relationship with the EU and disillusionment with the European neighbourhood Policy (ENP) finally led them to search for new geopolitical options which would match better their national interests. The UfM saga should thus first place be assessed as a test case of Nicolas Sarkozy's new diplomatic ambitions and style: introducing a change of name, if not as a complete change of the game, yet ensuring that the French hold the copyright for the new name.