On July 24, 2025, President of France Emmanuel Macron announced that France had officially decided to recognize the State of Palestine and that he would formally declare this recognition at the United Nations General Assembly in September. This historic decision positioned France as the largest Western country to recognize Palestine. The timing and underlying context of this announcement highlight the influence of domestic politics on France’s foreign policy. Indeed, Macron’s move is viewed both as a response to social and political pressures within France and as a bold stance that risks provoking strong reactions from the Israeli government and Jewish lobbying groups.
Behind Macron’s decision to recognize Palestine lies a growing sense of domestic political pressure in France in recent months. The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, followed by Israel’s prolonged and intense military operations in Gaza, sparked widespread outrage among the French public. While Macron initially expressed solidarity with Israel in the face of terrorist attacks, the protracted nature of the conflict and the humanitarian crisis inflicted upon civilians in Gaza have tested the patience of French society.[i] Across the country, large-scale demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine have drawn tens of thousands of participants.
Calls for “ceasefire” and “freedom for Palestine” have echoed through the streets of Paris. France is home to Europe’s largest Jewish community and Western Europe’s largest Muslim population. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict frequently manifests itself in French streets through protests and intercommunal tensions. Therefore, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Macron has faced growing pressure from within to take action. He has come to realize that he cannot remain indifferent to long-standing public demands for the recognition of Palestine. In fact, as early as 2014, the French Parliament had passed a symbolic resolution urging the government to recognize Palestine, yet previous administrations refrained from taking such a step.
In recent months, left-wing opposition parties have been exerting pressure on the government over this issue. Following the outbreak of the Gaza War in October 2023, Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s party, La France Insoumise (LFI), along with other leftist parties, called on Macron to assume responsibility toward the Palestinian people. Even within Macron’s own inner circle, the idea that recognizing the State of Palestine was in line with France’s long-standing commitment to a two-state solution and constituted a moral obligation had gained traction. Ultimately, Macron announced that he had made this decision in accordance with France’s “historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.” [ii]This statement reflects not only the ideological and moral underpinnings of the decision but also serves as a message to the domestic audience.
Macron’s move on Palestine has exposed a sharp fault line within the country’s political landscape. Immediately after the decision, France’s political right and left reacted in diametrically opposed ways. Leaders of the far-right National Rally (RN) harshly criticized the move. RN Secretary General Jordan Bardella argued that recognizing Palestine would grant Hamas “unprecedented legitimacy.” The party’s presidential candidate, Marine Le Pen, went even further, claiming that “recognizing the State of Palestine is tantamount to recognizing Hamas as a terrorist state,” framing the decision as support for terrorism.[iii] The political left, by contrast, welcomed the decision. LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon described the move as a “moral victory, albeit long overdue,” while Fabien Roussel, Secretary General of the French Communist Party, expressed his support for Macron by declaring, “Peace cannot wait; it is time to act to protect the Palestinian people.” [iv]Within mainstream center-right and center-left circles, cautious optimism prevailed, with many agreeing that France could contribute to Middle East peace by pursuing an independent course, distinct from that of the United States. However, these groups simultaneously emphasized the need for the decision to be carefully managed to avoid harming France’s relations with Israel.
Jewish lobbying groups and pro-Israel circles in France reacted strongly to Macron’s decision. CRIF, the organization representing Jewish institutions, labeled the unconditional recognition of Palestine as “a moral mistake, a diplomatic error, and a political danger.”[v] They recalled Macron’s earlier signals that recognition would be contingent upon conditions such as Hamas laying down arms and the release of hostages, arguing that the move was contradictory.[vi]CRIF and its allies warned that such recognition could be exploited by Hamas as a victory and might increase threats against French Jews. [vii]Indeed, some pro-Israel figures within Macron’s own party, such as Member of Parliament Caroline Yadan, openly opposed the decision, calling it a political and historical mistake. Nevertheless, Macron, emboldened by the freedom afforded by his second and final presidential term, was able to take this bold step.
The strongest external reaction to Macron’s decision naturally came from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused France of “rewarding terrorism” and claimed that the establishment of a Palestinian state would pose a threat to Israel. These reactions indicate that the decision could trigger a serious crisis in France-Israel relations. Macron, however, anticipated these risks and chose to pursue an independent foreign policy course. The U.S. administration also rejected this unilateral move, stating that it would bolster Hamas propaganda. Nevertheless, France acted under the weight of domestic public pressure, even at the cost of confronting both Israel and the United States.
Macron’s decision to recognize Palestine has been largely welcomed by European public opinion. In recent years, support for Palestine has notably increased across Europe, particularly within media and civil society circles. Ultimately, Macron’s recognition of Palestine can be interpreted not only as a foreign policy maneuver but also as a reflection of domestic political pressures on the international stage. The case of France demonstrates how public opinion and political actors in a democratic country can reshape foreign policy orientations. By responding to calls of societal conscience and long-standing political demands at home, Macron has transformed a long-discussed promise into reality. This step has also projected France’s image as an independent actor capable of charting its own course in the global order. Naturally, this move carries certain risks for France. In the coming period, relations with Israel are expected to cool, and tensions between the government and Jewish lobbying groups within France are likely to escalate. However, Macron appears to have calculated that these risks are acceptable in pursuit of domestic social cohesion and long-term regional stability. The winds of domestic politics have shifted France’s foreign policy trajectory toward Palestine.
[i] “Macron: France Will Recognize Palestine as a State in September”, Euronews, 24 July 2025, https://tr.euronews.com/2025/07/24/macron-fransa-eylul-ayinda-filistini-devlet-olarak-taniyacak, (Accessed: 04.08.2025).
[ii] “French President Macron Announces That France Will Officially Recognize the State of Palestine in September,” Anadolu Agency, 24 July 2025, https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/dunya/fransa-cumhurbaskani-macron-eylul-ayinda-ulkesinin-filistin-devletini-resmi-olarak-taniyacagini-acikladi/3641331 (Accessed: 04.08.2025).
[iii] “Why Did Macron Take the Strategic Step on Palestine Now?”, Independent Türkçe, 24 July 2025, https://www.indyturk.com/node/762373/dünya/macron-stratejik-filistin-adımını-niye-şimdi-attı (Accessed: 04.08.2025).
[iv] “France Will Recognise Palestine As A State Despite Criticism, Says Macron”, Channels TV, 25 July 2025, https://www.channelstv.com/2025/07/25/france-will-recognise-palestine-as-a-state-despite-criticism-says-macron/ (Accessed: 04.08.2025).
[v] “French Jewish Group on President Macron’s Palestinian State Announcement: ‘A Moral Mistake, a Diplomatic Error and a Political Danger’”, European Jewish Press, 24 July 2025, https://ejpress.org/french-jewish-group-on-president-macrons-palestinian-state-announcement-a-moral-mistake-a-diplomatic-error-and-a-political-danger/ (Accessed: 04.08.2025).
[vi] Ibid.
[vii] Ibid.
