On the French Defence Expenditures in the Light of the 2019–2025 Military Programming Law

Abstract

This article focuses on the implementation of French strategic priorities of the 2017 Strategic Review of Defence and National Security by comparing the tasks introduced in the 2019–2025 Military Programming Law to the realities of present operational mandates. The paper introduces the main priorities and schedule of the 2019–2025 Military Programming Law, as well as the proportional expenses in capacity development and procurement choices; and compares these to the previous defence expenditure cycle. The paper further identifies opportunities and limits in the strategies of the increased operational expenses, the restructuring of operational deployments, as well as in the development of multilateral defence cooperations. The prospect of the complete implementation of the new programming law is analysed in the context of political economy conditions.