The military programming law promises an additional 36 billion euros for the armed forces by 2030. With rearmament, supervision of intelligence publications, and suspended debates, the budgetary and political balance remains fragile.
Members of Parliament approved a new trajectory for military spending from 2024 to 2030, allocating an additional €36 billion to the armed forces. However, the parliamentary congestion makes it uncertain when debates on the military programming law will resume.
Within a heavily populated hemicycle, most MPs were absent for the May 8 commemorations, leading to the adoption of the key article updating the military programming law.
The plan includes an additional €36 billion compared to the previous programming law, totaling €436 billion in budgetary investments from 2024 to 2030. Members of RN and PS parties abstained, while LFI voted against the article.
Additional resources of €13.3 billion are expected to be included, from real estate revenues to military health service income.
Missiles, shells, and drones are central to the rearmament efforts. The minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, emphasized the importance of lessons learned from Ukraine and the Middle East, highlighting the significance of missile and shell stocks and the predominant role of drones.
The annual military budget is projected to reach €76.3 billion by 2030, representing 2.5% of the GDP. However, the budget must be validated yearly during the state budget adoption, and the 2027 presidential election could alter the plans.
There are concerns about excessive interference with freedom of expression, especially regarding the regulation of intelligence agents’ publications to prevent disclosing sensitive information that could endanger operations or agents.
Debates on the bill have yet to conclude, with a decision expected on May 12 regarding the resumption of discussions. The proposed date for resuming debates is May 18, but it is not finalized at this stage.
