Troude on Election Results: A Historical Moment for France, Possible Revocation of Kosovo's Recognition

French historian and professor of geopolitics at the University of Versailles, Alexis Troude, has assessed that the election results are an exceptionally important historical moment for France and that he expects a change in foreign policy, including a shift in relations with Serbia and the recognition of Kosovo.

"Until a few years ago, all major parties, the Socialist Party and especially the right-wing Conservative Party, were strictly pro-Albanian. They had MPs like Olivier Dujon, who had previously worked for Kouchner. These people were strictly oriented towards the Albanians. We remember Kouchner, Lévy, the leftists... Those parties that ruled France for more than 30 years are now very small parties. On the right, Marine Le Pen's National Rally and on the left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon's New People's Front are much more oriented towards the Serbs. Marine Le Pen has spoken with Vucic and Dodik in Paris. Mélenchon's party is strictly pro-Russian, anti-NATO, and very well acquainted with Balkan issues, being very favorably inclined towards the Serbs," Troude said for Kosovo Online.

He does not rule out the possibility of France revoking its recognition of Kosovo.

"I think that for the first time in 25 years, since the NATO bombing, some new leaders will be very strict against the recognition of Kosovo," Troude said.

According to him, changes should be expected in both the domestic and foreign policy of France.

"On the one hand, the elections prove that there will be some sort of blockade of reforms in France, including education, immigration policy, and social or pension policies. On the other hand, I think that the election results will unblock and open a new era on the international scene. Whether the government is formed by the National Rally or the New People's Front, which disagree on internal issues, they have the same view towards Russia, China, and the new world order. We can expect a new policy that will give France a better role on the international stage, and I hope it will give Serbia more opportunities to get closer to France," Troude assessed.

Commenting on the election results, the geopolitics expert said that such an outcome has not occurred since the time of Charles de Gaulle.

"No party has achieved a majority, which has not happened before in France. Since De Gaulle in 1958, majority parties have always won. For the first time, they do not have a majority, and any government the president chooses will have great difficulties governing France," Troude said.

He emphasizes that the election results were a complete surprise, as well as the fact that the institutions responsible for predictions— for the first time in the country's history—were wrong in their assessments.

"All the polls indicated, especially between the first and second rounds of the election, that the National Rally, Marine Le Pen's party, would have 200-220 MPs. The result is much smaller because they got around 150, which is very good for them as they doubled their number of MPs. Such a significant error in public opinion research projections has never happened before in France," Troude stressed.