The vote on a motion of censure and the dismissal of the government would be a hard blow for the French Army deprived of a budget increase, warns General Vincent Desportes. With “serious consequences”, in the midst of the war in Ukraine and with the return of the jihadist threat after the capture of the city of Aleppo in Syria.
The censorship of the government and its dismissal which is announced after the use of 49.3 on Monday by Prime Minister Michel Barnier, could have serious consequences on the French army. This is the alert launched this Tuesday on RMC and RMC Story by General Vincent Desportes, former director of the War School, professor of strategy at Sciences Po and HEC, while the war in Ukraine rages.
For the military, those who vote for censorship are “irresponsible”: “I am more than worried. France has been painfully rebuilding its armies since 2017. This is a very hard blow to the armies. Concerning defense, voting for censorship today is irresponsible and those who do so will bear the responsibilities and the consequences will be serious,” warns the general.
>>> Follow our live – Motion of censure: the RN assumes, Vautrin assures that it is still possible to “discuss”
“Our army will be weakened”
Vincent Desportes also believes that censorship could have consequences for France, the French defense industry and also for Ukraine, which has been at war with Russia since February 2022. Censorship would cause problems with equipment, ammunition, armored vehicles: “There will be a gap and a delay. France’s credibility within Europe is threatened,” he judges.
“Our army of 2025 will be weakened compared to 2024,” warns the general.
The bias: Censorship, what consequences for the armies? – 03/12
Rebuild or continue helping Ukraine
The launch of the Charles de Gaulle's successor aircraft carrier could be delayed, the fighter planes could not be delivered and the armored fleet, “which is sorely needed as we see in Ukraine”, will not be renewed. The orders that were to be placed with this budget will not be placed and France will have to scale back or cancel the major exercises planned with NATO in 2025.
And France, which has promised 3 billion euros in aid to Ukraine, will have to decide between stripping its armies or continuing its effort, due to a constant budget blocked by the absence of government and budget: “With this money we had to replenish our stock of ammunition and buy back Caesar cannons that we gave to Ukraine, and well we won't be able to.”
A new threat in Syria
Industrial consequences could also lead to increased unemployment. “The French defense industry represents more than 200,000 jobs in 4,000 companies spread across the country which were hiring because there was a defense effort. This effort will come to an abrupt end and part of these jobs are directly threatened,” fears the former director of the War School.
Europe's flagship army and engine of defense according to the general, France “faced with the threat, chose to block its defense effort”, he deplores, while a new threat grows in the North of Syria since the capture of Aleppo by jihadist rebels: “We will have to deploy soldiers en masse in the streets of France. And that is when some irresponsible people want to censor, by taking this risk, the Prime Minister”, concludes the general.
