On the eve of July 14, Parliament definitively adopted, on Thursday July 13, by a final vote in the Senate, the government’s military programming project (LPM): 413 billion euros over seven years, measures to modernize armies, but also postponements of deliveries. Good news for the executive, who hoped for final adoption before the National Day, and for Emmanuel Macron, who is to deliver his traditional speech to the armies on Thursday evening at the Hôtel de Brienne.

The text was adopted by 313 votes against 17. The senators of the CRCE group, with a communist majority, voted against. Most environmentalists abstained. On the other hand, the promulgation of the law should be delayed, the LFI deputies having lodged an appeal before the Constitutional Council.

“This vote should not mark the end of the debates on these military subjects”, advocated the Minister for the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, evoking the need for a “national debate, perhaps even popular”.

In a context of multiple international tensions and war in Ukraine, this LPM plans to devote 413.3 billion euros to the armed forces over seven years, from 2024 to 2030 (including 13.3 billion from extrabudgetary resources). This trajectory will still have to be validated each year in the State budgets. It would lead to a 40% increase compared to the previous LPM (2019-2025).

But the government has been accused of opportunistically planning the highest spending after 2027, and the end of Macron’s five-year term. After a long standoff with the Senate, the pace has been accelerated in the joint committee: 2.3 billion euros must be released more quickly, by 2027, in particular for training.

“This LPM is marked by a very substantial increase in credits”, welcomed Thursday the rapporteur of the law in the Senate, Christian Cambon (LR). “The LPM is part of the global movement for over-armament”, lamented the communist Pierre Laurent on the contrary.

Doctrinal differences

In the Assembly, the text was adopted on Wednesday with the votes of the presidential camp, the LRs, Liot, the RN and the PS. The oppositions, especially on the left, criticize “announcement effects”, pointing out that around thirty billion euros will cover inflation, and that credits flow from the previous LPM – “100 billion” euros according to the socialists.

Real doctrinal differences have also erupted between the presidential camp and part of the left on costly nuclear deterrence (13% of credits), or the degree of consideration of climate change. The place of France in NATO also marked the debates, and divides even within the left.

Drawing lessons from the conflict in Ukraine, the LPM provides 16 billion euros for ammunition and 5 billion for ground-to-air defense, but does not escape postponements of deliveries. Despite substantial efforts – 268 billion euros for equipment, the armies will, for example, receive fewer armored vehicles, Rafale or frigates than what was planned in the previous program.

To modernize the military apparatus, the law provides 10 billion euros for innovation, 6 billion for space, 5 billion for drones, 4 billion for cyber and digital.

To help finance the defense industry, and on the proposal of the senators, the text paves the way for the use of part of the funds collected via the Livret A account. “It is important for the message sent to the banks: the defense, it’s not dirty, “said Senator Cédric Perrin (LR).

Regarding the workforce, the government is counting on 275,000 full-time military and civilian equivalents in 2030 (excluding reservists). But, “depending on the reality of the labor market”, the ministry may direct “recruitment” credits towards the retention of troops (bonuses, benefits, etc.).

A parliamentary commission to “evaluate” arms exports will be created. The Senate had advocated for an “oversight” commission. “It’s a clear setback,” lamented Senator Guillaume Gontard (EELV).

The text finally reinforces the National Agency for the Security of Information Systems (Anssi). In the event of a threat to national security, it may in particular initiate several gradual coercive measures against domain names, and collect data on an operator’s network, despite strong fears on the left concerning data protection.