Macron comes under fire from all angles after French military chief quits

The new French government of President Emmanuel Macron announced a €850 million cut to the budget of the armed forces in July 2017, part of an effort to meet the EU’s requirement that member states maintained their deficits at below 3% of GDP.

The chief of France's armed forces, General Pierre De Villiers, resigned on the 19 July 2017 after he had been publicly criticised by President Macron for expressing reservations concerning the cuts.

On the 20 July 2017 on a visit to an air base President Macron reiterated his support for the armed forces, reminding them of his campaign pledge to increase the defence budget as well as his ambitious plans for them in a difficult international environment.

General François Lecointre was named as the new chief of the armed forces.

• Primary Source

The Local.fr, 19.07.17: France's top military chief quits after public bust up with Macron https://www.thelocal.fr/20170719/french-army-chief-quits-after-public-row-with-emmanuel-macron

The Local.fr, 20.07.17: Macron visits French air base hoping to smooth over crisis with military https://www.thelocal.fr/20170720/macron-visits-army-base-in-bid-to-smooth-over-crisis-with-military

France24, 19.07.17: Macron names François Lecointre new armed forces chief http://www.france24.com/en/20170719-france-macron-replaces-military-chief

Politico, 19.07.17: French army chief resigns over Macron spat http://www.politico.eu/article/french-army-chief-resigns-over-macron-spat/

Euro|Topics: Debates, July 2017: Row over cuts: France's chief of staff resigns http://www.eurotopics.net/en/182870/row-over-cuts-france-s-chief-of-staff-resigns

BBC News, 19.07.17: French military head de Villiers quits over cuts http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40653756

Politico, 19-20.07.17: Macron faces summer of discontent as top general quits http://www.politico.eu/article/emmanuel-macron-general-pierre-de-villiers-france-faces-summer-of-discontent-as-top-general-quits/

Politico, 21.07.17: Macron aide lashes out at rebellious ex-army chief http://www.politico.eu/article/macron-general-pierre-de-villiers-aide-lashes-out-at-rebellious-ex-army-chief/

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