Paradiplomacy in the French Style

This chapter explores the distinctive features of paradiplomacy in France, a unitary state where subnational international action is legally recognized but discursively distanced from the term “paradiplomacy.” Instead, official language prefers “External Action of Territorial Communities” (AECT) and “decentralized cooperation,” which encompasses the activities of all levels of local government, from regions to municipalities. Recent reforms reducing the number of metropolitan areas, framed as efforts to enhance international capacity, reflect a process of normalization and strategic repositioning. France promotes a “multiplied diplomacy” model, in which subnational action is expected to complement national foreign policy, though always within strict legal boundaries. The chapter analyzes the legal and institutional foundations of AECT, its evolution, and the motivations driving regional international engagement, from solidarity with postcolonial partners to economic competitiveness and identity politics. It also considers ambiguous forms of protodiplomacy in Corsica and New Caledonia. While subnational actors are increasingly embedded in global networks and EU governance, their role remains constrained by France's strong Jacobin traditions. Ultimately, the chapter argues that French paradiplomacy reflects a hybrid model: rhetorically strategic, legally constrained, and operationally plural. It is anchored in historical legacies and path dependencies, yet it is gradually opening new diplomatic spaces within the boundaries of a centralized state.