French Prime Minister François Bayrou has rejected the idea of involving the public in critical defense decisions, stating that such matters fall within the responsibility of the government.
In an interview with CNews and Europe 1, journalist Sonia Mabrouk asked Bayrou whether the French public could not be consulted on more significant defense policy decisions, including the financial burden of increasing military spending and the trend towards a “war economy”.
“Perhaps it’s time to ask the French? It’s really the right of the people to decide for themselves” she suggested.
Bayrou rejected the idea. “What you propose is not the right of people to decide for themselves, or not to decide for themselves, to give up their freedom” he replied. He explained that allowing public votes on defense issues would mean that France gives up its responsibility to protect itself.
Bayrou emphasized that the French Constitution limits popular votes to economic, social, or institutional questions and excludes military and defense matters. He elaborated: “We consult the French, that’s the Constitution. But a referendum can only give on very specific economic, social, or institutional themes.”
His stance matches the recent efforts of the government to strengthen national defense. On Friday, Bayrou and Finance Minister Eric Lombard announced that France was considering a national loan to finance the increasing defense spending. At the same time, EU countries are trying to boost their military capabilities, partly in response to the US decision to stop military aid to Ukraine and to put its NATO engagement on the test. Lombard mentioned the possibility of a national defense credit, which Bayrou confirmed, but said no final decision has been made.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently decided on higher defense spending, but the amount has not been named and tax increases have been ruled out. The initiative, however, faces difficulties in the face of the French budget deficit and the pressure to control spending, as evident in the delayed approval of the 2025 budget by the divided parliament. In January, Budget Minister Amelie de Montchalin announced plans to cut state expenses by 32 billion euros and increase taxes by 21 billion euros.
Critics argue that this budget policy will hit middle-class families, small business owners and retirees, who are already struggling with rising costs. Many fear that the defense spending will further burden taxpayers. Asked how the increased expenses would be financed, Bayrou did not give a clear answer. “We will define it together. And in this time, we must remain calm” he said.
Despite these concerns, Bayrou insisted that the government alone makes defense policy decisions:
“It is the responsibility of the government to say, no, we cannot allow the country to be disarmed. That is crucial.