Military chief urges France to increase defence spending to confront Islamic extremists and authoritarian states

Chief of French military's general staff says 'peace no longer happens by itself'

General Pierre de Villiers also called for upgrading France's nuclear arsenals (AFP/Getty)

France’s military chief is urging the country’s next president to ratchet up defence spending to better confront Islamic extremists and authoritarian states that increasingly rely on military muscle.

General Pierre de Villiers, chief of the defence staff, said in an appeal published on Wednesday in the business daily Les Echos that attacks on France and other European countries in recent years showed “peace no longer happens by itself”.

He called for upgrading France’s nuclear arsenals and other equipment, and boosting defence spending over the next five years to 2 per cent of GDP, compared to 1.77 per cent currently. France has promised such an increase to Nato by 2025, but Mr de Villiers urged a faster effort.

France’s military, among Europe’s largest, is active in anti-extremist operations in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere.

President Francois Hollande stressed on Wednesday the defence budget has increased during his term.

“We now have the necessary resources to meet our goals,” Mr Hollande said following the weekly cabinet meeting.

Following the attacks by Islamic extremists in Paris in 2015, the French government decided to increase the budget for defence by €600m (£506m) in 2016 and €700m next year.

The decision notably aims at financing the 10,000-strong Sentinel Operation of soldiers who patrol in French streets and sensitive sites such as airports and train stations.

For the first time in two decades, the number of French military will slightly increase by around 3,000 people from 2016 to 2019, allowing it to keep more than 200,000 troops.

France’s next presidential election is scheduled in two rounds in April and May next year. Mr Hollande has announced he will not run for re-election.

Associated Press