French PM advocates for European defence union without US

French Prime Minister François Bayrou has called for the establishment of a European defence union, similar with NATO, but without the US.

In a recent interview, Bayrou expressed strong support for the creation of a European-level defence alliance that would operate independently of the US, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

“A European defence union will be the only viable solution,” Bayrou stated, in response to a question about his position on the matter.

He emphasised that the evolving geopolitical landscape demands a new approach to Europe’s security, especially for those who previously believed that the US could ensure Europe’s safety. 

“Since the era of General Charles de Gaulle, France has been right in considering independence as the only guarantee of security, including for Europe,” Bayrou continued, referencing France's long-standing position of promoting national sovereignty in defence matters.

In addition to advocating for a European defence union, Bayrou stressed that defense spending should be exempt from EU budget deficit rules. 

According to the EU's fiscal framework, member states are required to keep their budget deficits below 3 per cent of GDP annually, but Bayrou argued that military expenditure should be treated separately. Under France's draft budget for 2025, military spending is set to rise by over 3 billion euros ($3.1 billion), reaching 50.5 billion euros or $52.5 billion (2 per cent of GDP). This increase is part of a long-term strategy that has seen France steadily boosting its defence budget since 2017, with the goal of doubling it by 2030 to 67.4 billion euros ($70 billion). 

In his 2025 budget proposal, Bayrou's government has also outlined plans to cut social spending and raise taxes in an effort to curb the growing budget deficit, which exceeded 6 per cent of GDP in 2024.

By Naila Huseynova