Hollande is facing a difficult balancing act over the French policy on military action against IS

France has participated in airstrikes against Islamic state forces in Iraq, but has so far stopped short of involvement in Syria. Rachel Utley writes on the competing motivations underpinning the French policy on the conflict. She notes that the threat of terrorism has been a key driver of French involvement, which was underlined by the murder of French hostage Hervé Gourdel in Algeria. However the staunch opposition of the French government to the Assad regime in Syria, combined with the threat of domestic terrorism within France itself, have resulted in a difficult balance having to be struck by François Hollande over the issue.