French recall of ambassadors shows extent of anger over Aukus rift

Analysis: ties between Paris and Washington in worse state than at time of Iraq war after Australia's cancellation of submarine deal

The recall of the French ambassadors to Australia and the US - without precedent in two centuries of diplomacy between Paris and Washington - has plunged relations to depths unknown for decades.

Rifts over the Iraq war or Nato pale into insignificance. True, the French recalled their ambassador to Rome a couple of years ago, irked by the insults sent their way by the upstart Five Star leader Luigi di Maio, but that was a little warning to populists to stop encouraging the disruption of the yellow vest protests.