France 2026: Defense Budget Sees Historic Increase

A Hard-Fought Budget

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu cleared a significant political hurdle on February 2, 2026: the French Parliament definitively adopted the state budget for 2026, after rejecting motions of no confidence filed by La France Insoumise (LFI) and the Rassemblement National (RN). The text, which Lecornu described as "the result of a parliamentary compromise incorporating amendments from all groups," enshrines an unprecedented increase in military spending.

The path was fraught with obstacles. Hampered by a relative majority in the National Assembly, the Prime Minister had to invoke Article 49.3 to force the bill's passage, immediately triggering the filing of two motions of no confidence. The motion brought by LFI and its allies on the left, excluding the Socialist Party, garnered 260 votes—short of the 289 needed to overthrow the government. The RN's motion only obtained 135 votes. The decisive abstention of the Socialists, who felt they had secured substantial improvements, preserved the executive branch.

€57 Billion for the Armed Forces

The heart of the budget is military. The Defense mission will benefit from an additional €6.7 billion compared to 2025, bringing the total envelope to €57.1 billion excluding pensions—a 13% increase. This increase exceeds what was initially planned in the 2024-2030 military programming law (LPM): in addition to the €3.2 billion included in the LPM, there are €3.5 billion in additional credits, reflecting the geopolitical urgency.

Since 2017, defense spending has almost doubled, from €32.7 billion to €57.1 billion. Over the period 2026-2030, the additional effort promised by Emmanuel Macron amounts to €36 billion, as part of an accelerated review of the LPM that the government will submit to Parliament in early 2026.

Operational Priorities: Munitions, Drones, Anti-Aircraft Shield

The 2026 budget targets eight immediate operational challenges identified by the Ministry of the Armed Forces:

• Munitions: replenishment of stocks of complex missiles, artillery shells, and small arms, with over half a billion euros in additional orders.
• Drones: establishment of an industrial sector for mass production, endowed with €150 million.
• Air Defense: acquisition of radars and jammers to counter the threat of enemy drones.

France in the European Rearmament Race

Paris is not alone on this path. At the NATO summit in The Hague in June 2025, the 32 allies agreed on the objective of dedicating 5% of their GDP to defense by 2035. Germany, which has unlocked a defense budget of $88.5 billion for 2026—almost double the French effort—has set a target of 3.5% of GDP by 2029.

This continental dynamic responds to multiple pressures: persistent instability on Europe's eastern borders, American demands for burden-sharing within the Alliance, and tensions in strategic supply areas that disrupt European economies. France, which contributes 10.1% to NATO's military operating budget, intends to consolidate its role as a leading military power on the continent.

A Political and Fiscal Gamble

The defense effort is not without budgetary trade-offs. The 2026 budget notably includes a temporary surtax on large companies, a measure contested by part of the liberal opposition. For Lecornu, the adoption of the text constitutes a political victory ahead of the municipal elections in the spring, and validates the strategic orientation of a government that relies on military credibility to weigh in on European and international negotiations.