Chirac: Beyond Gaullism?
Mini Teaser: The annual G-7 economic summits have been justly described as photoopportunities in which anything except economics may be discussed.
Thus for the French, the "redefinition" brought on by the end of the
Cold War encompasses the very identity of French nationalism. Chirac
faces the formidable task of containing an incipient hysteria that
finds expression in racialist definitions of the nation and claims
that Arab immigrants and Muslim fanatics are bringing about a true
struggle of "civilizations" within France itself--a battle that may
soon be waged not in the salons but in the streets of Marseilles,
Nice, and Paris.
The Bosnian Theater
Upon taking office Chirac attempted to deal with France's accumulated
foreign policy problems in rapid order. His decision on nuclear
tests, his summit performances in both Halifax and Cannes, and his
trip to Africa were maneuvers intended to relieve immediate pressure
points while hinting at greater changes to come. Among those points