Used book – When France Disappears from the World, Nicolas Tenzer

From de Gaulle to Sarkozy, French leaders have always dreamed of a grand foreign policy. But do we have the means to match our power and influence? Having recently traveled to over twenty countries and met 1,300 people as part of an official mission, Nicolas Tenzer issues a cry of alarm. Beyond grandstanding and posturing, France is fading from the world stage. Incapable of sustainably structuring deep intellectual relationships with major global centers of thought, it is becoming marginalized in the international arena of ideas. By not giving itself the means to conquer expertise markets worth hundreds of billions of euros, it sees its economic weight and influence, particularly in technical and legal standards, diminishing. Quick to deliver fine speeches in international forums, it fails to forge working relationships with international organizations beyond mere words. Praising Francophonie and cultural exceptionalism, it lacks the means to implement its policies. Deficient administration, petty administrative squabbles, introspection, lack of leadership – we must face reality: France does not have a worthy international strategy, and when it claims to design one, it fails to translate it into action. Meanwhile, the British, Germans, Canadians, Nordics, Spanish, and of course, Americans, in a less flashy and more pragmatic way, are scoring points. Is this withdrawal from the international game inevitable? No, but the window of opportunity is short. We have at most two or three years to act. While we possess quality human resources and recognized intellectual capabilities, political and administrative elites would be held accountable by history if they preferred the appearances of "greatness" to decisive action. After reading this book, no one will be able to say: "We didn't know."