'To be free in this world, you must be feared': France's Macron calls for defense spending boost
″Since 1945, freedom has never been so threatened, and never so seriously," Macron said, addressing leaders of the armed forces on the eve of the Bastille Day national holiday.
″To be free in this world, you must be feared. To be feared, you must be powerful," he said, in comments released by the Elysee Palace. Macron cited Russia, the ongoing war in Ukraine, cybercrime and terrorism as threats to national and European freedom.
Macron called for to raise defense spending by 3.5 billion euros ($4.09 billion) next year and by another 3 billion in 2027. That would take the total amount spent on security that year to 64 billion euros — double the defense budget the the French armed forces had in 2017, when Macron first became president.
French lawmakers must approve the increases before they can be enacted. France's parliament, the National Assembly, has already endured months of wrangling over the wider 2025 national budget and cost savings, with arguments leading to a previous government collapse late last year.
France is attempting to rein in its yawning budget deficit, which hit 5.8% in 2024, along with public debt that amounted to 113% of the gross domestic product over the period.
Macron said more details on the plans would be announced by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Tuesday when he gives an update on the 2026 budget. More "austerity" measures could be revealed at the time — or tax hikes, which would be unpopular with the Right.
On Sunday, Macron called on his compatriots to work for the greater good.
"The nation needs you," Macron said, adding that "every French man and woman must be cognitive of the threat around us," adding that, "we all need to make sacrifices. Freedom has a price tag."
That price tag might be too high for lawmakers to accept, particularly those on the Left, who are already railing against spending cuts. Savings need to be made to reduce the budget deficit, which the government is targeting at 5.4% this year and 4.6% in 2026.
Getting to the 2026 target implies that 40 billion euros' ($46 billion) worth of savings need to be found this year, Finance Minister Eric Lombard said in April.
"I am sticking to the target of 4.6% for 2026, which will require an extra and very considerable effort worth 40 billion euros," Lombard told BFM TV, in comments translated by Reuters.
"We are in a state of emergency, regarding our budget," he added.
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