France approves €436 billion defence plan through 2030

France’s parliament has formally approved a record defence budget totalling €436 billion through 2030, with priority investments focused on missiles, artillery shells and drones, Le Monde newspaper reported.

Both chambers of parliament backed the updated Military Programming Law. A total of 375 lawmakers in the National Assembly voted in favour of the measure, while 113 opposed it.

French authorities have justified the scale of spending by pointing to a fundamental shift in the global security environment. France’s Minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, said the state owed this step to its citizens.

“High-intensity war has returned to Europe. The balance of power is hardening; hybrid, cyber, space and informational threats are multiplying,” the minister said.

Paris is closely studying the experience of military operations in Ukraine and the Middle East, placing emphasis on weapons that have proven effective on the battlefield.

Priority areas for funding include:

• large-scale procurement of artillery shells;
• replenishment of modern missile stockpiles;
• development and production of military drones;
• strengthening cyber defence and space-based intelligence capabilities.

The law also provides for the introduction of a “national security alert state,” expanded powers to counter drones, and the creation of a new voluntary state military service.

By Tamilla Hasanova