The French White Paper on defence and national security: towards a stronger and more streamlined force

France has always been more revolutionary-minded than reform-minded. This is also true in the field of defence, where, rather than incremental changes, drastic moves are implemented every decade or so. The last time France had embarked on far-reaching changes was during the years 1994-96, with the publication of a new White Paper and then, after the election of President Chirac, full-scale professionalisation of the armed forces along with the adoption of a new defence plan for 2015. It was widely expected that any new President elected in 2007 would initiate a defence review. What was not pre-ordained, however, was that the changes stemming from that review would be at least as deep and far-reaching as those of the mid-1990s.

The changes announced in June 2008 include: (1) adopting a broad conception of ‘national security’ that includes both defence against external threats and homeland security management; (2) reducing the overall number of defence personnel; (3) increasing equipment budgets in order to ensure force coherence; (4) placing a greater emphasis on intelligence in order to be better prepared for strategic surprises; (5) increasing the role of the French Parliament; and (6) recognising that full re-integration into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) could indirectly contribute to the development of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: White Paper on Defence and National Security http://www.europeansources.info/record/france-to-reduce-armed-forces-by-a-fifth/

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