Today's military parade in Paris, traditionally organized on the occasion of France's national holiday, presented the French army as “ready to go into battle”, a day after President Emmanuel Macron promised a further increase in defense spending against the backdrop of “an increasingly brutal world“, reports Agence France-Presse, quoted by BTA.
Organized as a “real military operation“, this year's parade reflects the seriousness of the threats to security in Europe, explained General Loic Mizon, head of the French armed forces in the Paris region.
“Since 1945 "Freedom has never faced such a threat," Macron told senior military officials yesterday, referring in particular to the "constant threat" posed by Russia to the continent.
France plans to increase its defense spending by adding 3.5 billion euros in 2026 and another 3 billion euros next year. The military budget is expected to double within a decade, reaching almost 64 billion euros by 2027.
According to a survey published today in the newspaper "Figaro", 72% of French people support this increase in military spending.
During the parade that passed along the famous avenue "Champs-z-Élysées", the French army demonstrated its "operational reliability" and "strategic solidarity" with their partners.
Soldiers from the 7th Armored Brigade went into combat gear with Leclerc tanks, Cesar self-propelled howitzers and armored fighting vehicles. Unmanned aerial vehicles were also demonstrated, as well as SAMP/T air defense systems.
"The army marches as a brigade, ready for war, in other words, ready for battle", explained General Mizon on "ER TELE" radio.
The French army's goal is to be able to deploy a combat brigade - over 7,000 people with the necessary weapons and logistics - within ten days by the end of the year. By 2027, the ambition is to achieve the same with an entire division - over 20,000 military personnel – within 30 days.
The parade also showcased France's international defense partnerships. It was attended by a Belgian-Luxembourg military unit, the joint French-Finnish forces from the UN mission in Lebanon, as well as the crew of the frigate “Auvergne“, which has participated in missions in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic in support of NATO.
The parade was opened by over 450 Indonesian soldiers in colorful uniforms, and among the honorees on the rostrum alongside President Emmanuel Macron were also the President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto and the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshaal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah.
Paris has signed a strategic partnership with Jakarta to strengthen its presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Members of the volunteer forces in New Caledonia also took part in the parade.
Yesterday, in his speech, President Macron emphasized that he wants to create "a new framework" to provide opportunities for young people to serve in the army, recalls Agence France-Presse.