French President Emmanuel Macron arrives to give a speech to the army leaders in L'hôtel de Brienne in Paris on July 13, 2025, on the eve of the annual Parade of Bastille Day in the French capital.
Ludovic Marin AFP Getty images
On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans for a significant increase in defense expenditure over the next few years, a warning about the upcoming threats to France and the wider security of Europe.
“From 1945, freedom has never been so threatened and never seriously,” Macron said, addressing the leaders of the Armed Forces on the eve of the National Day of Bastille.
″, To be free in this world, you have to be afraid. To be afraid, you must be powerful – he said In the comments issued by the Elysee Palace. Macron quoted Russia, a ongoing war in Ukraine, cybercrime and terrorism as a threat to domestic and European freedom.
Macron called for defense expenditure by EUR 3.5 billion ($ 4.09 billion) next year and another 3 billion in 2027. This would accept the total amount spent on security this year to EUR 64 billion – a double defense budget, which the French Armed Forces had in 2017, when Macron became the president.
French legislators must approve the growth before being introduced. The French Parliament, the National Assembly, has already survived months of fighting with a wider national budget and savings in 2025, with arguments leading to the collapse of the government at the end of last year.
France is trying to limit the budget deficit, which reached 5.8% in 2024together with the public debt, which during this period amounted to 113% of the gross domestic product.
Macron said that more details about plans will be announced by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Tuesday, when he gives the budget update to 2026. At that time, more “savings” can be disclosed – or tax increases that would be unpopular with the law.
On Sunday, Macron called his countrymen to work for a greater good.
“The nation needs you,” Macron said, adding that “every French and a woman must be a cognitive around us around us,” adding: “We all have to sacrifice. Freedom has a price.”
This price may be too high for legislators to be able to accept, especially those on the left who already adhere to the cuts of expenses. Savings should be reduced to reduce the budget deficit, which the government aims at 5.4% this year and 4.6% in 2026
Getting to the destination 2026 means that in April you should find savings worth EUR 40 billion ($ 46 billion) savings.
“I stick to a goal of 4.6% in 2026, which will require an additional and very significant effort worth EUR 40 billion,” said Lombard BFM TV, In the comments translated by Reuters.
“We are able to in an emergency, in relation to our budget,” he added.