The international Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière? French socialism in the International and its relationship with the Partito Socialista Italiano during diplomatic crises (1911–1915).

This article examines the role of the French Section of the Workers' International (Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière, SFIO) within the Second International and its responses to European diplomatic crises and wars from 1911 to Italy’s entry into World War I in 1915. It highlights the SFIO’s active participation in coordinated antimilitarist efforts through the International Socialist Bureau (ISB) during events such as the Second Moroccan Crisis, the Italo–Turkish War, and the Balkan Wars, while also exploring the complex and often strained relationship between the SFIO and the Italian Socialist Party (Partito Socialista Italiano, PSI). The article shows that although the SFIO embraced internationalist antiwar activism, its commitment had limits, especially as it aligned with French national interests during World War I, engaging in socialist diplomacy to encourage Italian intervention on the side of France. This study situates the SFIO within a broader transnational socialist network, emphasizing the importance of international interactions in understanding the party’s history and political evolution.