Quelle ambition pour la défense française ?

In a context of return to war in Europe and exacerbation of conflicts in the Mediterranean, France must strengthen its military capabilities at a time when the crisis of public finances is becoming systemic. By NATO standards, military spending in 2025 as a percentage of GDP reached 3.22% in the United States, 2.12% in Germany, and 2.05% in France.

If France wanted to increase its defense budget from 2.05% of GDP in 2025 to 3.5% of GDP in 2035, what economic and social policy could enable such an effort?
French conventional military capabilities are limited in the number of combat aircraft or ships. What objectives would be desirable in 2030 and 2035 to adapt to global conflict and not to swoop away from Germany? What policy should be pursued to consolidate the Defense Industrial and Technological Base (DTIB) in order to support this increase in power?

On March 2, 2026, Emmanuel Macron announced European cooperation on nuclear issues, involving eight European countries, in order to create an “advanced deterrent” with an increase in the French arsenal, “without any sharing of the ultimate decision.” How far should we go on this point?