An additional 36 billion euros for the military program? French MPs debate increasing the army budget

In brief, lawmakers are examining a revision of the 2024-2030 military programming law, which includes an additional increase of 36 billion euros in a global context marked by conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Two and a half years after its adoption, lawmakers began studying a revision of the 2024-2030 military programming law on Tuesday, April 21, with an additional 36 billion euros in a context influenced by the war in Ukraine and the Middle East. The previous law allocated 413 billion euros over six years until 2030. The new draft law, being examined by the Defense Commission, aims primarily to emphasize this increase.

“The central assumption guiding this update is obviously that of a major confrontation with Russia,” described Jean-Louis Thiériot (LR), a former minister and co-rapporteur of the text, advocating “for French sovereignty where possible, European when necessary, and less dependence on the United States.”

The proposed trajectory would lead to an annual military budget of 76.3 billion euros by 2030, representing 2.5% of the GDP. However, two important details stand out: the programming law outlines a path, but theoretically, Parliament can deviate from it each autumn by voting on the state budget. Additionally, 2027 will be a presidential election year, potentially reshuffling the cards.

While the text does not foresee changing the format of the armed forces, it emphasizes necessary investment areas, starting with ammunition (an additional 8.5 billion euros, totaling 26 billion over the period).

“The government’s choice was precisely to propose not a text that reproduces the entirety of the 2023 military programming law, but rather specific areas that seem important to emphasize,” explained Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin, also mentioning drones and space.

Apart from the investment aspect, the text introduces several innovations. This includes allowing private operators to neutralize drones flying over sensitive sites and creating a new “state of national security alert,” which allows for exceptions to several regulations in case of a “serious threat” to the nation.

The text also aims to enable the use of algorithms by intelligence services to track and exploit web connection data, particularly for national defense and against organized crime, drug trafficking, and arms trafficking. A similar provision was previously rejected by the Constitutional Council in the last law against drug trafficking.