Defense: National Assembly approves a budget increase of 36 billion euros by 2030 for the French military.

The article discusses the proposed increase of 36 billion euros in additional budget investments for the period 2024-2030 compared to the previous programming law in 2023. The National Rally and Socialist Party deputies abstained, while France Unbowed voted against the article. The plan includes 13.3 billion euros from additional resources, such as real estate revenues or health service income from the army.

Minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, sees this as a necessary reinforcement in armament efforts, citing experiences from Ukraine and the Middle East, emphasizing the importance of missile stocks and drones. The new roadmap allocates extra funds for ammunition and drones over the specified period.

The annual military budget is projected to reach 76.3 billion euros by 2030, representing 2.5% of GDP, but it still requires annual approval during the state budget adoption, subject to parliamentary adjustments. The upcoming 2027 presidential election could also impact this plan.

Critics like Bastien Lachaud express concerns over the lack of new tax resources, questioning the prioritization of military expenses over social or public services.

The deputies have been debating a supplemental report to the bill to define investments without normative value. Concrete measures adopted include regulating the publication of works, particularly by intelligence agents, to prevent the disclosure of sensitive information. Sanctions could be imposed for non-compliance even years after an agent leaves their position.

Despite some opposition, the government now has two months to object to publications, with silence granting authorization. Concerns have been raised about potential infringements on freedom of expression and whistleblower protection. Additionally, the assembly has expanded intelligence agencies’ use of algorithms to monitor online data for national defense and combat organized crime.