Hollande driven by personal conviction on Syria
One side of François Hollande explains the other
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.During a presidential walkabout in northern France this week, two people on the street begged François Hollande to abandon his plan for a punitive strike on Syria.
“It is not our war,” a young man said. A woman shouted: “It is not our problem.”
“Everything is our problem,” President Hollande replied.
During his successful presidential campaign last year, Mr Hollande was mocked as a “pedal-boat captain”. In the past 16 months he has emerged as frustratingly minimalist reformer at home but a bold, warrior-president abroad, launching France’s lightning and successful war against Islamist radical rebels in Mali in January. Why?
In part, one side of Hollande explains the other. At home, he is obliged to be cautious by his consensual instincts and France’s explosive resistance to change. Abroad, he can be decisive and statesmanlike.
The French constitution gives the President substantial, independent powers over foreign and defence issues. And Hollande may have seen an opportunity to graduate, finally, from diffident new boy to European and world leader.
Most of all, however, friends say that the President’s commitment to strikes is rooted in personal conviction. If a large-scale use of chemical weapons goes unpunished, the world, not just the Middle East, will have stumbled into a menacing, new era. That, he believes, cannot be dismissed as “someone else’s problem”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments