ABSTRACT

The idea of a 'French exception' is frequently used to underline – and sometimes to explain – the existence of policies and norms that seem specific to France. During the run-up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in May 2010, optimistic statements from foreign governments and officials flourished as regards perspectives for global nuclear disarmament. As the first post-Cold War conflict, the Gulf War provoked a French reassessment of the threat posed by nuclear weapons proliferation. The turn towards non-proliferation taken by France has been continuously reasserted since then, to the point of influencing the evolution of France's posture of deterrence. For France, the transition to the post-Cold War security environment meant having to modify some aspects of its nuclear posture to ensure its effectiveness in the face of new challenges, but without losing touch with its core principles.