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France confidence vote over Nato Sarkozy survives vote over Nato
(about 4 hours later)
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's government is facing a vote of no-confidence over his decision to take France fully back into Nato. The French parliament has backed President Nicolas Sarkozy's decision to take France fully back into Nato, rejecting a no-confidence motion.
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, the government is highly unlikely to lose, because the UMP will rally behind him. But France's national assembly voted by 329 votes to 238 in favour of Mr Sarkozy's government.
The party has a substantial majority in both houses of the French parliament. The policy reverses a 1966 decision by the late President Charles de Gaulle to pull out of Nato's military command.
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. 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.
France is already among the top five contributors to Nato operations Q&A: France and NatoFrance ends four-decade Nato riftFrench face tough Afghan realityFrance 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 had hoped to formalise the move before France and Germany host Nato's 60th anniversary summit in Strasbourg next month.
Ahead of Tuesday's debate, Prime Minister Fillon told the National Assembly: "In 1966, at the height of East-West tensions, our withdrawal constituted a shock. But in 2009, our return constitutes only an adjustment."Ahead of Tuesday's debate, Prime Minister Fillon told the National Assembly: "In 1966, at the height of East-West tensions, our withdrawal constituted a shock. But in 2009, our return constitutes only an adjustment."
The no-confidence vote is expected to take place 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.
Even so, the debate is likely to expose deep misgivings about the future direction of French foreign policy, he adds.