Presseerklärung Le Mouvement de la Paix vom 5.7.2018 : 76% of French are for France’s commitment
in the nuclear weapons’ elimination process
For the 50th anniversary of the NPT [1] and the first anniversary of the
Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty [2], Le Mouvement de la Paix commissioned to the IFOP
a poll based on “French, military spending and elimination of nuclear weapons”
in collaboration with French newspapers La Croix and Planète Paix. This study
was conducted from June 22 to 25, 2018, based on a sample of 1001 people over 18
years, using the quota method. Such report had already been conducted in 2012 by
the same institute for the pacifistic organization.
*GROSS RESULTS*
The IFOP evaluated several suggestions about France’s strategies and policies.
It appears clearly that French people are in favor for a security policy within
the UN, in particular concerning the elimination of nuclear weapons.
*Thus, 76% of French approve that “France must make a commitment in an international
process of a total and controlled elimination of nuclear weapons, as planned by
the UN”. *This figure remains at a high level, close to a similar question
realized in 2012. That will is really strong on the whole political spectrum.
*On the specific question “In your personal opinion, do you think that France
have to make a commitment into that process, that means signing and ratifying
the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty”, 67% of French respond favorably, namely
two-thirds of the population. *The question stated in a transparent manner the
environment and position adopted by France. There again, that ambition is
predominant in the whole political spectrum and distribution is quite homogenous
in every populations sphere.
The first question concerns public spending, results show that the “defense and
army” budget, with 18%, would be the second budget expense that should be
reduced. The security environment in which citizens have been exposed since the
2015 attacks may explain those reduced results compared to previous studies.
*ANALYSIS*
At a national level, those figures confirm the evolutions observed at a global
level in favor for the elimination of nuclear weapons. For Le Mouvement de la
Paix: “those data reinforce the groundswell dynamicsfor the elimination of
nuclear weapons, illegal under international law, dangerous because if its
threat to the very existence of mankind, militarily ineffective and useless to
ensure the nation’s security, costly and morally unacceptable."
This huge gathering is constituted by the ¾ of worldwide states including the
Vatican, the UN, the international Red Cross, unions, countless NGOs networks
which involve the network of Mayors for peace, the network of doctors for the
prevention of nuclear wars (Nobel Prize for Peace), the international network
for the banning of nuclear weapons-ICAN[3] (Nobel Peace Prize winner 2017).
For Le Mouvement de la Paix, that survey is confirmation that citizens are
largely demanding in international ban and elimination of nuclear weapons
process. This is in contradiction with the maintained statement of a lack of
knowledge and disinterest from the public opinion on those matters. “This
opinion survey contradicts the choices made by the government and parliament,
which just approved, without any public debate, a new military program Act
aiming for a renewal of French nuclear armory, in total contradiction with the
international law which outlaws the holding, manufacturing and the threatened
use of nuclear weapons".
*CAMPAIGN*
Le Mouvement de la Paix has engaged a campaign urging France to commit itself,
to sign and ratify the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty. A petition has already started
to collect several thousand signatures. The movie “La Bombe et Nous [4]” is
running today in many movie theaters in collaboration with Le Mouvement de la
Paix and other organizations members of ICAN-France. The Movement will address
through the initiatives around the International Day of Peace (September 21) and
during the Marches for Peace organized everywhere in France this year on
Saturday September 22th, in association with the national collective “En Marche
pour la Paix” involving 153 organizations.
*On Sunday October 14th 2018, *numerous partners are organizing with Le
Mouvement de la Paix *a day of mobilization at “crime scenes”.* Le Mouvement de
la Paix insists: “we want to call the President of the Republic to tell him: Mr.
President, get the bomb out of your skull”. Pacifists will come together
towards locations where the French State is preparing the nuclear war to
criticize the humanitarian consequences and the illegality of nuclear weapons.
“It has now been confirmed, we are the majority; Mr. President you must listen
to this will and engage France into the ratification of the Nuclear Weapon Ban
Treaty”.
July 5th, 2018 *Le Mouvement de la Paix*
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[1] The Non-Proliferation Treaty adopted in 1968 July the 1st, coming into
effect in 1970, July the 1st.
[2] Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty adopted in 2017, July 7th.
[3] ICAN (International Campaign for the Abolition of nuclear weapons) obtained
the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2017
[4] Directed by Xavier-Marie Bonnot