Defence may be sore point in ties with France

Since François Hollande’s election as French president on the 6 May 2012, much of the focus in Britain has been on potential tension with David Cameron over their differing approaches to fiscal policy and financial regulation.

Yet the biggest test of their relationship may turn out to have nothing to do with economics and the eurozone. Instead, it will be whether they can maintain the strong alliance on foreign and defence policy that the prime minister forged with Nicolas Sarkozy when he was president.