French President Emmanuel France has traveled to Bahrain during a four-nation tour of the Gulf region aimed at shoring up defense ties and securing crucial oil and gas supplies. The diplomatic mission comes as France faces severe domestic disruption from widespread protests over public spending cuts, cost-of-living pressures, and a sharp spike in energy prices driven by the wider US-Israel conflict with Iran.
Macron’s three-day itinerary included stops in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar, accompanied by senior executives from France’s primary energy groups, TotalEnergies and Engie. On the opening day of the trip, France and Kuwait signed eight agreements and cooperation documents spanning defense, artificial intelligence, and investment. In Abu Dhabi, Macron met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to advance cooperation in advanced technology, AI, and energy.
Bilateral trade between France and the UAE reached 10.8 billion euros, equivalent to approximately $12.1 billion, in 2025, making the UAE France’s largest importer in the Gulf region. According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute data, France provided 18 percent of the UAE’s arms and defense imports that year, ranking second behind the United States at 42 percent.
Domestically, France has been roiled by mass demonstrations opposing a government budget proposal seeking tens of millions of euros in public spending savings. Protesters have taken to the streets to condemn deteriorating school infrastructure and planned public-sector pay freezes, leading to curfews in multiple cities. More than half a million people participated in demonstrations across the country, while weeks of unrest have resulted in over 2,500 arrests alongside instances of looting and arson.
Energy shortages have exacerbated public anger. Disruptions to refined petroleum shipments through the Strait of Hormuz caused up to 20 percent of French petrol stations to run out of diesel and petrol at various points during the conflict, pushing oil prices above $100 a barrel.
To counter these shortages, Gulf nations have committed to new supply agreements. The UAE agreed to supply 100,000 tonnes, amounting to 746,000 barrels, of diesel per month to France for an unspecified duration. Bahrain also committed to 100,000 tonnes of monthly diesel, while Saudi Arabia agreed to provide 95,000 tonnes each in October and November through TotalEnergies.
Beyond energy imports, France is seeking to boost defense exports to help offset record national debt levels, which have reached their highest point since the aftermath of World War II. Last month, Macron announced that France would deploy military personnel, radar, and air defense systems to Saudi Arabia to help protect the Red Sea port of Yanbu and the East-West Pipeline. The critical infrastructure has faced attacks from the Houthi group based in Yemen as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted. French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux confirmed that operational elements have been deployed to defend Saudi oil facilities, while French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot met with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in Riyadh to discuss regional stability.
Security analysts note that France offers Gulf states military capabilities that do not rely entirely on the United States, providing opportunities for joint production, technology transfers, training, and operational autonomy. However, analysts caution that increased military involvement could entangle Paris in regional conflicts. French air defense systems intercepting Houthi missiles could directly challenge militant strategies and draw French forces into retaliatory cycles, while naval deployments near the Strait of Hormuz carry escalation risks.
France’s broader diplomatic standing in the region has also faced friction. In July, two French embassy staff members were detained in Tehran and declared personae non gratae after Iranian authorities accused them of interfering in internal affairs. In response, Foreign Minister Barrot expelled two Iranian diplomats in August following earlier French condemnations of Iranian attacks on commercial shipping.
During the Global Security Forum in Doha, US Envoy Tom Barrack stated that Washington is transitioning away from its traditional security-for-oil paradigm in the Middle East without abandoning the region entirely. As regional partners acknowledge the limits of American security commitments—exemplified by the recent Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan—external actors like France are finding renewed openings to establish diversified security partnerships.
