France Lifts Military Budget as Risk of High Intensity War Grows
French soldiers from the 1st Spahi Regiment.
Photographer: Barbara Debout/AFP/Getty Images
This article is for subscribers only.
France will increase its defense budget over six years as President Emmanuel Macron seeks to adjust the nation’s military to new threats posed by the war in Ukraine and technological attacks.
In a speech Friday, Macron said he expects the state to spend 400 billion euros ($433 billion) between 2024 and 2030, an increase from the 295 billion euros of the 2019-2025 period. The budget, which risks being affected by inflation and energy costs, is set to be submitted to parliament in March. Macron said he is counting on approval by the summer.