France’s Macron pledges big increase in defence budget

PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to boost defence spending in the coming years to guarantee his country’s domestic security and maintain French military engagement abroad.

Addressing soldiers onboard the assault ship Dixmude off the naval base of Toulon, Macron said on Friday he will increase spending by 1.8 billion euros ($2.2 billion) this year to 34.2 billion ($42 billion) euros this year. He also pledged to bring defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP —from about 1.8 per cent currently — by 2025, in a move aimed at “stopping the erosion of our military capacity.”

Macron also called for increased European co-operation — including both EU members and non-member states — to bring about a “strategic autonomy.” He insisted the alliance would not be in competition with NATO.

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