On the eve of France's National Day, the president promises "a new, historic, and essential effort" to rearm the country, which will include a salary increase for the military. Emmanuel Macron has used his traditional speech on July 13,

President Emmanuel Macron said France will make a “new” and “historic” effort to increase defense spending to counter an acceleration of threats to freedom in Europe and the risk of outright war in the coming years.

Macron called for a 3.5 billion-euro hike in defense spending next year and for another 3 billion-euro boost in 2027.