The update of the military programming law is postponed until early 2026

“Budgetary texts take a lot of time,” explained the Minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, while this update is made necessary by budgetary extensions desired by Emmanuel Macron in 2026 and 2027.

An update of the military programming law (LPM) 2024-2030 will be presented to Parliament “in the first quarter of 2026” and no longer by the end of autumn as initially planned, announced Tuesday, December 2, Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin. “Budget texts take a lot of time”justified the minister on TF1.

The update of the LPM, which provides 413 billion euros for the armies between 2024 and 2030, is made necessary by an additional budgetary extension desired by President Emmanuel Macron of 3.5 billion euros in 2026 and another of 3 billion in 2027. The draft budget for 2026, which reflects this “surcharge” of 3.5 billion euros for defense, amounts to 57.1 billion euros, up 13%.

“Europe is rearming. The world situation is one that has changed a lot. The peace dividends are over. Increasing the budget (…) we are obviously doing it to increase our security, to somehow show that France is capable of defending itself”argued the minister. Debates followed by votes will take place in the National Assembly on December 10 on this defense budget, “which is the only budget with a significant increase presented as part of the finance bill for the year 2026”recalled Catherine Vautrin.

These debates are part of the thematic parliamentary discussions desired by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on subjects considered priorities in the face of the “blocking” on the budget in Parliament. These are debates under article 50-1 of the Constitution, followed by a non-binding vote for the executive. The draft 2026 defense budget notably provides for a 10% increase, to 6.5 billion euros, in equipment maintenance credits in order to increase their availability. It also provides “to improve the equipment of the forces and accelerate their delivery to be ready for engagement as soon as possible”, according to budget documents.