The Parliament and the War in the Middle East

On March 25, 2026, a debate was held in the National Assembly on the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, in accordance with Article 50-1 of the Constitution. This provided an opportunity to reflect on decades of discussions about the Middle East, a true laboratory for foreign policy.

Since 1945, conflicts in the Middle East have revealed tensions between the executive and legislative powers in France regarding foreign policy. While the IV Republic saw numerous parliamentary interpellations holding the government accountable, the V Republic marginalized Parliament. Constitutional revisions in 2008 and the increased use of Article 50-1 reintroduced a deliberative space. However, recent debates on Middle East wars have highlighted the challenges of political control.

Conflicts in the Middle East, with their strategic interests, links, and rivalries, have unique significance in French diplomatic history. From the Suez Crisis to the latest Gaza conflict, these debates reflect transformations in the French political system. How has Parliament discussed these conflicts, and what do these debates reveal about the evolution of parliamentary oversight on France’s foreign policy?

Archives from the National Assembly and Senate reveal a conflicted parliamentary system during the IV Republic, with vigorous debates during major Middle East crises. However, despite the political engagement, Parliament struggled to influence foreign policy due to chronic instability. The V Republic marginalized legislative power, limiting its effectiveness in guiding foreign policy.

The introduction of Article 50-1 in the 2008 constitutional reform transformed the Middle East debate, creating new deliberation spaces. Government declarations now spark debates, with or without votes, without risking accountability. Major discussions since 2013 have focused on chemical weapons in Syria, the fight against Daesh from 2014-2020, and recent exchanges about humanitarian aid in the Israel-Hamas war.

The asymmetrical deliberations in the 2025-2026 crisis underscore the continued centralization of foreign policy decisions and the evolving role of Parliament, which, while gaining a voice, remains constrained.

Myriam Benraad, Former Professor at the University of Exeter