France allocates an additional 36 billion euros to defense, bringing the budget to 76.3 billion by 2030

AA / Istanbul / Wafae El Baghouani The Minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, announced on Wednesday, following the Council of Ministers, that the French government would allocate an additional 36 billion euros to defense, bringing the budget to 76.3 billion euros by 2030, in the context of a deteriorating global security environment. The government spokesperson, Maud Bregeon, detailed the executive’s priorities, particularly in terms of foreign policy, agricultural sovereignty, and support in the face of rising fuel prices, against the backdrop of the economic and security repercussions of the crisis in the Middle East. At the start of the report, she hailed “good news” after the announcement of a ceasefire in the Middle East, calling for “everything to be done to implement it.” She emphasized “the consistency of the French position,” articulated around three axes: securing French territory and interests, supporting France’s partners “in a defensive posture,” and efforts to support the resumption of maritime traffic. The spokesperson also indicated that President Emmanuel Macron had instructed the government to continue supporting the most exposed economic sectors, including fishermen, farmers, and transporters. She also announced work on “structural measures,” including an “electrification plan” to be presented “in the coming days,” stating that the crisis had highlighted “the price of our dependencies.” During the same press conference, the Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, presented the emergency agricultural law project, which she described as a text of “operational solutions,” developed “for and with farmers.” She explained that this project is based on three pillars: simplifying the daily life of producers, protecting farmers and their land, and building the future by strengthening prospects. Among the measures put forward, the minister denounced an “anomalously unfair competitive situation” allowing the importation of goods treated with prohibited substances in the European Union, ensuring that the text will ban such imports and strengthen controls. She also advocated for a relaxing of rules on water storage, providing more flexibility, or even derogation, for prefects. According to her, around 90 hydraulic storage projects could be unlocked as a result. On livestock farming, Annie Genevard argued for a simpler and clearer regime to facilitate the installation, expansion, or modernization of buildings, deeming the current procedures excessively burdensome. She added that the text should also protect farmers against abusive claims, intensify the fight against theft on farms, enhance the protection of livestock against wolves, and develop a health model against emerging diseases. The minister also affirmed that public canteens should contain European and French products, which she described as being “the showcase of food patriotism.” Asked about shortages, she mentioned a risk of a “world shortage” of eggs due to avian flu, while praising the French policy of mass and mandatory vaccination in poultry farms. The Minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, then presented the update of the Military Programming Law 2024-2030, justified by a “considerably hardened strategic environment,” according to her. She assured that this update does not question the existing trajectory but aims to go “further” in terms of capacity and normative aspects, with the goal of enabling the French armed forces to face “major engagement” in an uncertain future. The minister defended the strengthening of resources allocated to ammunition, drones, anti-drone warfare, air defense, early warning, space, and operational readiness. She announced an additional 36 billion euros, bringing the defense budget to 57.1 billion euros in 2026, then to 76.3 billion euros in 2030. She stressed that by 2027, the defense budget would double compared to 2017, when it stood at 32 billion euros. Catherine Vautrin specified that 8.5 billion euros would be allocated to ammunition, amounting to 26 billion over the period, while an additional 3.9 billion euros would go to military space. Additionally, she indicated that 10,000 FPV drones had been ordered for 2026, with 5,000 expected to be delivered this year. Regarding anti-drone warfare, she announced an additional 1.6 billion euros to finance a range of devices from jamming rifles to laser-guided rockets. The minister also confirmed a modernization of the fighter jet framework with an additional 3.5 billion euros for the Rafale, evolving towards the F5 standard, as well as the addition of two aircraft to offset losses recorded in summer 2025. On the naval front, she acknowledged debates on the fleet format and the need to go further in terms of frigates, while noting that a fifth defense and intervention frigate was due to be delivered in 2032. She also confirmed work on an “intermediate tank” to address delays in the Franco-German MGCS program, aimed at replacing the Leclerc tanks, whose end of life is expected by 2040. In terms of norms, Catherine Vautrin indicated that the text would extend the possibility of imposing strategic stockpiling on economic operators, strengthen cost controls, simplify certain environmental procedures for the ministry’s projects, and introduce new tools to enhance national resilience. She also mentioned the strengthening of the operational reserve, with a target of 50,000 reservists by 2030, for a total format of 330,000 armed and civilian personnel. Finally, in response to questions about the fuel price surge, Maud Bregeon stated that the government was not seeking to delay expected announcements, emphasizing that the executive had already supported “the most exposed sectors” as a priority. She did, however, suggest that the recent international situation must be considered in the development of possible new support measures. According to her, the priority now is for the reductions observed in global prices to be “reflected as quickly as the increases have been” at the pump. She announced that a meeting would be held on Thursday at Bercy with distributors and refiners to ensure this. The spokesperson mentioned hearing UFIP discussing a 5 to 10 cent decrease in the next 48 hours at gas stations while expressing caution. When asked about the “control plan” mentioned by the Prime Minister, she indicated that checks would be carried out by the DGCCRF to ensure that the barrel’s price decrease is effectively passed on. Regarding a possible taxation of oil companies, Maud Bregeon stated that France was “absolutely not” ruling out this option in principle, while noting that reflections were ongoing at the European Union level.