The Minister of the Armed Forces is concerned about the very short-term consequences on the armies and defense industries of government censorship.
Reality principle. In the event of government censorship, and therefore without a budget for 2025, the consequences will be serious for the functioning of national defense. In a long message posted on X, the Minister of the Armed Forces lists the backlash against threats from the far right and part of the left to bring down the government.
“The vote to censure the government, and therefore the absence of a budget for the year 2025, would break this essential momentum for the protection of our fellow citizens, by preventing the proposed increase of 3.3 billion euros for our defense budget”, notes Sébastien Lecornu.
It lists the repercussions on jobs among defense manufacturers. The government could not “firmly guarantee the very numerous orders planned.
“This censorship is endangering related jobs throughout our territories.”
The Experts: Budget, censorship… and after? – 02/12
The future aircraft carrier in danger
Another effect, the impossibility of recruiting the necessary personnel in the armies. Censorship “would have very concrete consequences (…) for our French defense industrialists: more than 200,000 jobs in more than 4,000 companies throughout our territories”, warns the minister before adding the consequences for the military.
“This would mean the immediate impossibility of increasing their pay. And the impossibility of recruiting the 700 additional staff planned.”
He also warns of the negative consequences for the modernization of armies in general, and on the order of the future aircraft carrier which must replace the Charles de Gaulle at the end of the next decade.
The delay that this would create will “potentially not make it possible to join when the Charles de Gaulle leaves active service”.
“This project alone represents 10 billion euros of investments, which would directly irrigate complete industrial sectors throughout France.”
With an increase of 3.3 billion euros, or +7% compared to the 2024 budget, the total budget for the Defense mission must be increased to 50.5 billion euros excluding pensions. Since 2017, this corresponds to a 56% increase in the budget for our armies.
