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Sarkozy faces no-confidence vote | Sarkozy faces no-confidence vote |
(about 2 hours later) | |
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is facing a vote of confidence over his decision to return France to Nato's integrated military command. | |
Opposition critics and some among Mr Sarkozy's UMP party say the move will weaken French independence from the US. | Opposition critics and some among Mr Sarkozy's UMP party say the move will weaken French independence from the US. |
But correspondents say that by making the vote one of confidence, Mr Sarkozy is highly unlikely to lose, because the UMP will rally behind him. | But correspondents say that by making the vote one of confidence, Mr Sarkozy is highly unlikely to lose, because the UMP will rally behind him. |
The party has a substantial majority in both houses of the French parliament. | The party has a substantial majority in both houses of the French parliament. |
Mr Sarkozy announced the major policy shift last week, reversing a decision made in 1966 by the late President Charles de Gaulle. | Mr Sarkozy announced the major policy shift last week, reversing a decision made in 1966 by the late President Charles de Gaulle. |
France is already among the top five contributors to Nato operations and currently has some 3,000 troops in Afghanistan, where it has suffered significant losses. | France is already among the top five contributors to Nato operations and currently has some 3,000 troops in Afghanistan, where it has suffered significant losses. |
'Deep misgivings' | 'Deep misgivings' |
Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Francois Fillon wrote to opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate offering to submit his government to a confidence motion after a debate over France's relations with Nato. | Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Francois Fillon wrote to opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate offering to submit his government to a confidence motion after a debate over France's relations with Nato. |
France is already among the top five contributors to Nato operations Q&A: France and NatoFrance ends four-decade Nato riftFrench face tough Afghan reality | France is already among the top five contributors to Nato operations Q&A: France and NatoFrance ends four-decade Nato riftFrench face tough Afghan reality |
President Sarkozy subsequently formally announced in a speech last Thursday that he wanted France to rejoin Nato's military command. | President Sarkozy subsequently formally announced in a speech last Thursday that he wanted France to rejoin Nato's military command. |
He said there was no sense in France - a founder member of Nato - having no say in the organisation's decisions on military strategy. | He said there was no sense in France - a founder member of Nato - having no say in the organisation's decisions on military strategy. |
"This rapprochement with Nato ensures our national independence," he told experts at the Ecole Militaire in Paris. "To distance ourselves would limit our independence and our room for manoeuvre." | "This rapprochement with Nato ensures our national independence," he told experts at the Ecole Militaire in Paris. "To distance ourselves would limit our independence and our room for manoeuvre." |
Mr Sarkozy hopes to formalise the move before France and Germany host Nato's 60th anniversary summit in Strasbourg next month. | Mr Sarkozy hopes to formalise the move before France and Germany host Nato's 60th anniversary summit in Strasbourg next month. |
The prime minister is to address the National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon, followed by a debate, with the no-confidence vote is expected later in the evening. | The prime minister is to address the National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon, followed by a debate, with the no-confidence vote is expected later in the evening. |
But the BBC's Alasdair Sandford in Paris says that despite criticism from politicians on both sides, a government defeat is highly unlikely. | But the BBC's Alasdair Sandford in Paris says that despite criticism from politicians on both sides, a government defeat is highly unlikely. |
Even so, the debate is likely to expose deep misgivings about the future direction of French foreign policy, he adds. | Even so, the debate is likely to expose deep misgivings about the future direction of French foreign policy, he adds. |