In May 1980, a year before retreating from power, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing organised military manœuvres intended to test when one should have recourse to nuclear weapons. This gave him the opportunity to assess their absurdity, and he revealed this later in his memoirs.
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Officially, France’s nuclear weapons, from the beginning, have served no other purpose than to deter the potential enemy from attacking and invading France - as had occurred in 1870, 1914 and 1940. "If you attack our (...)

How can the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons contribute to abolishing them? Approximate answers are not enough, rigorous analysis is needed.
Its entry into force will occur on 22 January 2021. It emphasises the urgency of nuclear disarmament and it stigmatises nuclear weapons. But it has serious defects, and they permit the States possessing these weapons to escape from the ban and from eliminating their weapons.
To make this ban effective, we would have to amend the Treaty, (...)

This Charter has a history, that of four intense days followed by nearly a decade. In 2011, from October 27th to 30th the States-General for a Livable World (EGMV in French) were held in Saintes (Western France). Invitations went to 6 organisations: ACDN (Action des Citoyens pour le Désarmement Nucléaire), ATTAC, the Farmers Confederation, the Human Rights League, the Teaching League, and the "Nuclear Phase-out" Network. The event was supported by the City of Saintes, the Région (...)