It was a question “Major ads” of the Head of State on “The defense effort” To rearm France. Emmanuel Macron’s speech to the armies was finally less spectacular than the promises of the Elysée advisers. At the Hôtel de Brienne in Paris, the President of the Republic began this traditional speech this Sunday July 13th by an alarming observation on the state of the world. “We live a moment of rocking. Never since 1945, freedom had been so threatened ”, “Attacked by the imperialist and annexation powers” like Russia, as well as by “Strong of the strongest” which sets up more and more, underlined the head of state, in a serious tone.
“Never at this point peace on our continent had depended on our present decisions”he added. “We Europeans must ensure our security ourselves”face «On the return from the proliferation of major conflicts ”warned the president, citing both Ukraine and the Middle East, or even India and Pakistan. “To be free in this world, you have to be feared. To be feared, you have to be powerful. For this, the nation must be stronger ”launched Emmanuel Macron.
It would first go through “Better awareness of the French of hybrid threats around us”. The chief of the armies also mentioned the need they “Gain en masse”, giving an appointment “In the fall” For his decisions concerning “The future you Service National Universal (Snu)the organization of the mobilization of our youth and the increase in our reserve ”. But more broadly, Emmanuel Macron underlined the need to “Take the measure of the capacity turning point to hire”he warned, faced with “All the challenges that are posed to us”, “At the time of predators”. “We have an advance, but tomorrow, at the same pace, we would be overwhelmed”, In the absence of additional credits for the defense.
Announcing a “New and historical effort”, The Head of State declared that he wanted additional means for the armies in relation to the financial trajectory provided for in the military programming law (LPM) 2024-2030. “The salvation of the fatherland assumes that we spent more on our defense and that everyone takes their share of this investment”he professed. Among the needs to be financed, he cited ammunition stocks, drones, air defense, electronic war, space war and the development of the military reserve.
In practice, the Head of State wishes to anticipate the target fixed at 2030 by the LPM by three years: “While we planned to double the budget [par rapport à 2017] By 2030, we will double it by 2027 ”. The additional effort would be 3.5 billion euros in 2026 and 3 billion the following year. “We will therefore devote 64 billion euros to our defense in 2027”, He concluded, without specifying how this additional expense would be funded: Prime Minister François Bayrou will be responsible for announcing it Tuesday, July 15, in a speech on the next budget financing tracks.
The head of state, however, traced a red line: “We refuse that this rearmament goes through debt. [Il doit être] funded by more activity and more production ”. The fate of this adjustment will however be in the hands of parliamentarians, who vote the budget and are also likely to censor the government of François Bayrou. “Everyone has to take responsibility”warned them Macron.
The Elysée had warned that the President of the Republic would draw “Conclusions” The context of a Russian threat deemed sustainable against Europe, and the use of increasingly disinary force in the world. “Very clearly, we must today revise our programming and our strategy, revise it in the light of change in the nature of the risk”had warned Emmanuel Macron on Thursday.
While the NATO countries have undertaken to devote 3.5 % of their GDP to their defense, Paris hitherto tabed until then on a budget of 413 billion euros planned between 2024 and 2030 by the military programming law, despite the hunt for economies to reduce the abyssal deficit in the country’s public finances.
Monday, during the traditional parade of July 14, back on the prestigious Parisian avenue of the Champs-Elysées after being moved last year due to the Olympic Games, the French army intends to highlight its “Operational credibility” and its “Strategic solidarity” with its partners.
The parade is putting Indonesia in the spotlight this year, with which France has concluded a strategic partnership to weigh in the Indo-Pacific Zone.
After schools, “The framework” of the military parade will be formed around the units of the 7th armored brigade, which will not parade “In parade outfit […] But as an operational block and in combat clothes on board armored vehicles »according to the military governor of Paris, General Loïc Mizon, head of the organization. “It is a question of showing a combat tool which is almost ready to leave, as it is presented to our fellow citizens on the Champs-Élysées”, explained the general.
Paris aims to be able to deploy this year if necessary, a “war of war” brigade – are more than 7,000 men with all ammunition and logistics – in ten days. In 2027, the ambition is to do the same for a division (more than 20,000 men) in thirty days.
Update on 07/13 at 9:40 p.m.: Fixed budget increases announced by Emmanuel Macron (3.5 billion in 2026 and not 2.5 billion)