French Armed Forces Commander Resigns Due to Disagreement with Macron on Defense Budget

The commander of the French armed forces resigned on Wednesday, July 19, due to a disagreement with Emmanuel Macron regarding cuts to the country's defense budget. This marks the first significant evaluation of Macron's policies and his decisive governing style. According to Reuters, General Pierre de Villiers stated in a statement that he had tried to maintain the very difficult duties and responsibilities of the armed forces within the constraints of the country's defense budget, but he could no longer do so. He added, "Under the current circumstances, I cannot guarantee the quality of an efficient armed force that France and the people of the country need, nor can I meet the country's objectives." Emmanuel Macron quickly accepted General de Villiers' resignation and appointed General François Lecointre, a 55-year-old, in his place. The resignation of General de Villiers not only serves as a significant evaluation of Emmanuel Macron's governance but also comes at a time when the French armed forces, in addition to foreign missions such as fighting Islamic extremist groups in Africa and the Middle East, have also taken on part of the responsibility for security in the country's cities following recent terrorist attacks. General de Villiers' resignation comes a week after a severe disagreement between him and the president while the French army was preparing for the Bastille Day parade (July 14), at which Donald Trump was invited as a special guest of the French president. In a closed parliamentary session, General de Villiers strongly protested against a €850 million cut to the defense budget. This decision is part of Emmanuel Macron's efforts to reduce government spending and decrease public debt to the threshold set by the European Union, which is three percent of the country's total budget. According to sources present at the parliamentary session, General de Villiers warned severely about the consequences of this budget cut, stating, "There is no fat in our army. With this action, you are attacking the muscles of the army at a time when the security situation is worsening." Emmanuel Macron responded sharply, saying, "I have made a commitment, and I am your president." A spokesperson for the French presidency emphasized Macron's decision on Wednesday, stating, "We cannot have public disagreements. Our government departments operate this way. This saving does not diminish the operational capabilities of the armed forces. France's security is guaranteed." The government spokesperson also attempted to downplay the significance of the defense budget cut, adding that next year this budget would be increased by €1.5 billion, reaching €34.2 billion. Reuters adds that this confrontation between the commander of the armed forces and the French president reflects the very decisive way in which Macron has chosen to govern. The power and authority of the president in the French governmental system is greater than that of any other leader in Western democracies. By weakening General de Villiers and forcing him to resign, Emmanuel Macron has dealt a severe blow to the conservative and aristocratic factions in France that supported François Fillon in this year's presidential election. General de Villiers became a military advisor to the prime minister in 2008 during François Fillon's premiership under President Nicolas Sarkozy and was appointed commander of the armed forces two years later. Some have criticized the decisive style of governance by the new French president, deeming it autocratic. A retired French army general described the situation, stating that Macron's method of governance is not exactly like that of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, but it is not far off either.