Major Cuts In France's Defense Budget

Up to 34,000 French military posts will be lost over the next six years as the French military tightens its belt. Diarra / Reuters

Grim Economics Shape France’s Military Spending -- New York Times

PARIS — France will effectively freeze its military spending for the next several years, cutting nearly 10 percent of defense jobs while using more money for high-tech equipment, in a bid to maintain its ability to conduct overseas operations like the one in Mali, the government said Monday.

A strategic review, the first since 2008, tries to reconcile France’s weak economic growth and declining budgets with its ability to take unilateral military action, preserve its nuclear deterrent, and improve its intelligence and cybersecurity.

While spending about 1.5 percent of its gross domestic product on defense, France will remain Europe’s No. 2 in military spending behind Britain. Britain is shrinking its armed forces to 82,000, the lowest number since the Battle of Waterloo, while trying to keep its own nuclear deterrent.

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More News On Major Cuts In France's Defense Budget

Crisis-Hit France To Cut Armed Forces By 10 Percent -- Defense News/AFP
France to cut 24,000 military jobs, seeking savings as economic crisis looms -- Washington Post/AP
France, keen to boost military strength, avoids defence cuts -- Reuters
Hollande to Trim French-Army Size, Freeze Defense Spending -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Massive job and budget cuts announced for French military -- RFI
France's foreign firepower threatened by budget cuts -- Reuters