The French Military Programming Law foresees a historic increase in the French defense budget, rising to 76.3 billion euros by 2030. Nuclear weapons, missiles, and drones are becoming the pillars of an enhanced strategic autonomy strategy.
France plans to allocate an additional 36 billion euros for defense by 2030, as part of the update to its Military Programming Law (LPM) 2024-2030, reinforcing the nuclear arsenal and stocks of missiles and drones.
This increase marks a faster pace compared to the current annual increase of 3 billion euros in military spending, reflecting increasing security pressures due to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The updated law for the period 2024-2030 would raise defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade, up from around 2% currently.
The budget would reach 76.3 billion euros by 2030, almost double its 2017 level.
The NATO, influenced by Donald Trump, raised the target for defense spending as a percentage of national GDP to 5% by 2035, up from the current 2%.
“The profound and abrupt change in international balances requires us to move faster and stronger,” stated Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin in a text accompanying the bill to be presented to Parliament.
“With a conflictual and multiform world transition, France needs to adapt,” she added, referring to her remarks made during the closing speech at the Paris Forum for Defense and Security in late March.
Context: The French government plans to significantly increase its defense budget over the next decade.
Fact Check: The article mentions the possibility of France increasing the number of nuclear warheads in its arsenal and enhancing other military capabilities to address security challenges.
