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Hubert Védrine at HEC Paris: Power, Europe and Realism

At HEC Paris on December 2, 2025, invited by HEC Débats, former French Foreign Minister Hubert Védrine shared a realist vision of Europe, global power shifts and France’s role in a fragmented world (in French).

89 minutes
Key findings
  • Europe must abandon naïve narratives: the Franco-German “couple” is no longer a given, and unity requires hard political work.
  • A two-state solution remains the only viable path to Israeli-Palestinian coexistence—despite shrinking political support on both sides.
  • The West no longer dominates the world alone: US-China rivalry defines the century, and Europe must avoid strategic innocence.
  • France’s foreign policy goal is simple: remain master of its destiny—through pragmatism, credible defense and strategic clarity. 

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