The military programming law promises an additional 36 billion euros for the armed forces by 2030. With rearmament, supervision of intelligence publications, and suspended debates, the budgetary and political balance remains fragile.
Parliamentarians approved a new trajectory for military spending for the period 2024-2030 on Thursday, May 7, 2026, promising an additional 36 billion for the armed forces. However, the parliamentary backlog makes it uncertain when debates on the military programming law will resume.
In a sparsely populated hemicycle, as most parliamentarians were in their constituencies for the commemorations of May 8, the Assembly adopted the flagship article of the bill updating the military programming law.
It includes an additional 36 billion euros compared to the previous programming law (2023), totaling 436 billion budgetary investments over the period 2024-2030. RN and PS parliamentarians abstained, while LFI voted against the article.
Approximately 13.3 billion in additional resources are expected to be added to the effort, from real estate revenues to health service revenues for the armed forces, for example.
Context: The French government has approved a significant increase in budget for the armed forces through the military programming law.
Fact Check: The legislative process for passed and future expenditures on the armed forces in France is outlined in detail.
Missiles, shells, and drones at the heart of the rearmament
According to Catherine Vautrin, the Minister of the Armed Forces, the text reflects the need to “accelerate, intensify our rearmament efforts”, with lessons learned from Ukraine and the Middle East, emphasizing the importance of missile and shell stocks, as well as the significant role of drones.
The new roadmap includes, for example, an additional 8.5 billion on ammunition (26 billion over the entire period), and an additional two billion for drones (8.4 billion over the period).
According to this trajectory, the annual military budget would be 76.3 billion in 2030, equivalent to 2.5% of the GDP.
However, the outlined path must be validated each year during the adoption of the state budget, and Parliament may deviate from it. Additionally, the 2027 presidential election could reshape these plans.
Inquiries: Opposition parties have raised concerns about the lack of new tax resources to support the military spending increase.
The ongoing debate
As debates continue, with about 270 amendments remaining, a decision on the resumption of discussions is expected to be made on May 12. The calendar is heavily congested with the number of planned texts, possibly resuming debates on May 18.
