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French parliament backs President Nicolas Sarkozy over Nato

Thursday, 26 March 2009

French parliament backs President Nicolas Sarkozy over Nato

The parliament of France has voted in support of French President Nicolas Sarkozy's proposal to move the country back into Nato, and a no-confidence motion was turned down.

The opposition to the idea included some among Mr Sarkozy's UMP party and they claimed that having France in Nato again will weaken the nation's independence from America.

Four former French prime ministers said they were against the move and one of these was senior Socialist Laurent Fabius.

However, the national assembly of France voted by 329 votes to 238 in favour of President Sarkozy's proposed move.

The policy turns around a 1966 decision by the late President Charles de Gaulle to withdraw from Nato's military command.

The return under the new move proposed by the president is expected to be made official at Nato's 60th anniversary summit, which is going to be hosted by France and Germany in Strasbourg in April.

France is already one of the top five contributors to Nato military operations and it has some 3,000 soldiers stationed in Afghanistan.

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