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