Emmanuel Macron Announces an Increase of €6.5 Billion in Defense Budget by 2027
Follow-Up
French President Emmanuel Macron announced an unprecedented allocation of an additional €6.5 billion to the French defense budget by 2027. This decision comes amid escalating international tensions and increasing security challenges.
This financial package includes the allocation of €3.5 billion in 2026 and another €3 billion in 2027, aimed at accelerating the implementation of the military programming law for the period 2024–2030, which is expected to be reviewed next fall.
In his address to the military, Macron stated, “To be free means to be feared,” calling for the establishment of a strong Europe capable of defending itself in a world where balances have become fragile.
The French president justified this direction by the need to strengthen French and European sovereignty in the face of the Ukraine war, Middle Eastern tensions, diminishing American guarantees, as well as cyber threats and disinformation campaigns.
According to this vision, the French armed forces will enhance their ammunition stockpiles, modernize their equipment, develop air defenses, and invest in electronic warfare, drones, and space.
Macron emphasized that doubling the defense budget from €32 billion in 2017 to €64 billion in 2027 would not exacerbate public debt but would rely on economic growth, noting that the defense industry sector serves as a catalyst for innovation, provides skilled jobs, and ensures strategic independence.
This decision, made on the eve of the national holiday, sends a clear message that France is determined to maintain its status as a reliable military power and no longer wishes to depend on external parties to ensure its security.
