French Nuclear Strategy: The Making of a ‘Consensus’ (1972–1988)

This article presents the first critical explanation of the construction of a French nuclear 'consensus' in the 1970s and 1980s. It draws on known sources, apart from a few interviews, but above all it puts forward a new question: what is the role of domestic politics in French foreign policy and defence choices? It demonstrates the artificial construction of general assent to meet national political objectives. These findings suggest that what is called 'consensus' is in fact the end of the debate and not the adherence of the whole population to the strategic doctrine of deterrence.