Defence: Defence policy in France

DEFENCE POLICY IN FRANCE

Core tasks and organization of defence in France

The role of National Defence is to ensure France’s territorial integrity and the security of the French population and guarantee that international alliances, treaties and agreements are respected (Article L. 1111-1 of the Defence Code). National Defence is an instrument of both national sovereignty and international credibility. France has always been determined to retain her independence of decision and action whilst standing shoulder to shoulder with Europe and the international community: France plays a leading role in the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP), participates in the Atlantic Alliance’s political bodies and honours her international commitments.

The Constitution of 4 October 1958 divides the responsibilities as follows: the President of the Republic, who is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, defines the defence policy which is carried out by the Defence Minister. The Prime Minister, who is responsible for national defence, handles the overall management of defence, overseeing defence negotiations and coordinating the defence-related activities of the various government ministries (L. 1131-1). Parliament legislates in national defence matters. In addition, each minister is responsible for preparing and implementing the defence-related measures within the remit of his/her ministry (L. 1141-1).

The armed forces are:

  Army, Air Force, Navy

  National Gendarmerie

  Joint Services (health, social welfare, etc.).

In addition to military defence, National Defence includes two other components: civil defence, contribution to "the prevention, research, training and assistance missions required to protect people, property and the environment", such as early-warning of natural disasters, provision of risk information, taking people to a place of safety and organizing relief, etc. (Order No. 90-670 of 31 July 1990) and economic defence: “the measures and initiatives adopted by the public authority, on the one hand to protect and defend the economy and businesses from attacks of all kinds and, on the other, to meet the needs of National Defence” (administrative circular of 14 February 2002 on economic defence).

Defence policy in France and the changing strategic context

Since the 1990s there have been no direct military threats near the French borders. However, the existence of other areas of instability in the world and emergence of new types of threat, such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism, have led France to define a new defence strategy.

This new policy is presented in the "Defence White Paper" published in 1994, which gives an analysis (still up to date) of the changing international risks and threats, defence policy objectives, France’s general military strategy, and relations between defence and society.

The consequent two-stage defence reform initiated in 1996 was built around the 2015 armed forces model. The first stage, marked by the 1997-2002 Military Estimates Act, began the implementation of the move to fully career armed forces, ending compulsory military service by the end of 2002. The second, marked by the 2003-2008 Military Estimates Act, pursues the effort by increasing the budget, continuing the professionalization of the armed forces with manpower levels set at 446,653 for the end of 2008, and modernizing equipment. The aim is to achieve the 2015 armed forces model, as updated in the 2003-2008 Military Estimates Act.

In this new context, where the distinction between internal and external security is tending to become blurred, France’s defence strategy is organized around four pillars:

  the nuclear deterrent as guarantor of the survival of the nation if its vital interests are threatened

  prevention in the fight against terrorism and arms proliferation

  the protection of people, institutions, territories, essential cultural values and major economic activities

  force projection, deployment of military force beyond national borders./.

Further information:

General information

France from A to Z: defence, Foreign Ministry website document http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france_159/discovering-france_2005/france-from-to-z_1978/defence_1983/index.html

2006 Finance Bill: Report 2568-09 (National Assembly Finance Committee) on the environment and long-term defence policy (in French only): http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/12/budget/plf2006/b2568-09.asp

Defence Ministry website: defence policy: http://www.defense.gouv.fr/sites/defense/english_contents/the_ministry_of_defence/

Report of the Defence Ministry’s activities (in French only): http://www.defense.gouv.fr/sites/defense/decouverte/activites_des_forces/rapports_dactivite

Defence policy, dossier de la documentation française, “Vie publique” website, July 2004 (in French only): http://www.vie-publique.fr/politiques-publiques/politique-defense/index/

Defence code (in French only): http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/Waspad/ListeCodes

Nuclear deterrence

Speech by M. Jacques Chirac, President of the Republic, during his visit to the Strategic Forces. Landivisiau - L’Ile Longue / Brest (Finistère) - Thursday, 19 January 2006. http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/article.php3?id_article=6771

Bibliography:

La défense en Europe: France: un engagement fort, Les études de la Documentation française, La Documentation française, No.5218 / 2005

La loi de programmation militaire 2003-2008, Regards sur l’actualité no289, La Documentation française, March 2003, pp.83-92

La défense nationale by Jean-Luc Mathieu, Que sais-je ? PUF, 2003

26 January 2005

Last updated: 14.02.2006