France’s “War Economy” Is a Prelude to Cutting the Welfare State
In recent months, Emmanuel Macron insisted on the need to slash public debt, yet now he calls for huge military spending. The call to remilitarize has become the center of the French president’s agenda — and offers a pretext for even further cuts to welfare.
French president Emmanuel Macron addresses the media during a press conference at the end of a Special European Council to discuss continued support for Ukraine and European defense at the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 6, 2025. (Ludovic Marin / AFP via Getty Images)
“We’re not, but we should be.”
That was French economy minister Éric Lombard’s response to a question on March 1 asking if France is now in a war economy.
In June 2022, French president Emmanuel Macron addressed the country’s defense industry, four months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Everything has changed,” Macron said, arguing that a war economy would be necessary to ensure Europe’s collective defense against Russia.
This article is for subscribers only. Please login or subscribe to access our full archives and beautiful print and digital magazine starting at just $3 a month.