The deputies have been debating since Monday on the significant increase in the budget of the armies, the opposition and presidential camp, counting on the parliamentary review to attack or defend the figures promised by the executive, and mark their divergences of military doctrine.
With 413,000 million in seven years (2024-2030), the endowment put on the table by the government for this new military programming law (LPM) is significantly higher than that adopted in the previous five-year period (295,000 million for 2019-2025). ).
The declared objective is to modernize the army, in particular its nuclear deterrent, improve the treatment of troops, renew equipment but also invest in cybernetics, space and control of the seabed. Thirty billion euros must also be used to cover inflation.
The oppositions are intended to target “advertising effects”. For Anna Pic (PS), this LPM is more of a “continuity” than a historic effort, and “100,000 million” euros are already derived from the previous one. The Socialists also want to demonstrate that the goal of 2% of GDP devoted to defense, a commitment made by France as a member of NATO, will not be reached.
13.3 billion extra-budgetary resources
In commission, Sébastien Lecornu put this objective into perspective, but also stated that it was expected to be achieved before “the end of the five-year period” in 2027, while the initial text provided for 2025 as the deadline. The oppositions also point to uncertainty surrounding the 13,300 million euros, which will be financed with extra-budgetary resources, despite the fact that the minister insisted that they were not at risk.
But his grievance is that the most significant budgetary efforts are planned after the end of the five-year period. Several amendments from all sides will propose imposing more efforts by 2027. Anne Genetet (Renaissance), who must lead the group’s troops in the chamber, considers this debate “legitimate”, but invokes a principle of budgetary and industrial “reality”.
“The effort is now”, insists the president of the LR group Olivier Marleix. Right-wing deputies will be the executive’s main targets for the text to be approved, although it also hopes to convince the Socialists.
Figures and doctrines
The Government also has the accelerated procedure on this text (a reading before the Assembly and the Senate) with the aim that the text is definitively approved before July 14. Much of the first week of discussions should highlight differences in doctrine. The overwhelming majority of some 1700 amendments were presented on the article that refers to an attached report, a kind of military road map of France, both in its doctrine and in the equipment of its armies.
The government must present amendments in session to replace the equipment sent to Ukraine. But the LPM will cause a delay in the deliveries of various important equipment (Scorpion armored vehicles, Rafale aircraft, defense and intervention frigates, etc.), which worries the opposition.
A debate will mark the test, that of “mass” against “coherence”: should the army acquire the greatest amount of equipment possible, or direct its investments so that what it has at its disposal are usable (maintenance, training… .)?
A global counter-project of the Insoumis
The environmentalists will oppose the project of a future aircraft carrier and the communists will assert their desire to get out of the nuclear deterrent. The Insoumis will raise, among other things, the question of NATO and will present a global counter-project on Monday. The RN will insist on industrial sovereignty. The issue of military associations, including European ones, will also be on the table.
The strengthening of the arsenal of the National Information Systems Security Authority (ANSSI), to better fight against cyberattacks, also promises intense debates on individual liberties.
For the retention of military knowledge and sensitive information, the text also wants to allow the administration to prevent, under conditions, a soldier from working for a State or a foreign company, and this during the ten years following the end of his contract. During the session, the Government will propose extending the measure to certain officials.
Source: BFM TV
