France’s deepening domestic crisis, marked by parliamentary deadlock, public discontent and Emmanuel Macron’s waning authority, casts a long shadow over Europe’s defence ambitions. Macron remains one of Europe’s most vocal champions of strategic autonomy, yet his message increasingly falls on sceptical ears at home. The updated Revue nationale stratégique (RNS) (National strategic review) leaves no doubt: Russia is identified as the foremost threat to France, its allies and the European continent’s stability. However, French public opinion paints a more nuanced picture, namely a medium to high (‘yellow’) threat perception, recognising Moscow’s military and financial strength as well as its potential to act aggressively in the coming years, without succumbing to alarmism. This tension between official rhetoric and public sentiment highlights a deeper dilemma in France’s strategic posture: how to reconcile European ambitions with domestic fragility and limited resources. If France is to remain a credible leader in European security, it must focus less on global pretensions and more on building the institutional backbone of a genuine EUSD.