French Government’s Increasing Military Budget Sparks Criticism Over Social and Health Cuts

Sophie Binet, general secretary of the CGT labor union, sharply criticized the French government’s 2026 budget plan for increasing military spending by €6.7 billion while cutting €7.1 billion from health services. Speaking at a press conference, Binet warned that this budget shift signals “the only perspective the government offers us is war,” presenting serious dangers, especially to the country's youth. She highlighted that hospital bed closures are being used to fund military priorities, a move she said is far from rhetorical. Binet urged legislators to reject both the government’s original budget proposal and any special laws restricting new expenditures.

Echoing these concerns, Hania Hamidi, general secretary of the student union Unef, stated, “youth refuse to make war on behalf of interests that are not their own.” Meanwhile, Yannick Hervé from the Mouvement associatif revealed that 2025 saw half of associations suffering cuts in public funding—some over 20%—and warned that the 2026 budget threatens to reduce the service civique program by €115 million. This cut would decrease volunteer numbers from 150,000 to 110,000, raising fears that military service might be prioritized over youth civic engagement.

Adding deeper context, military-society expert Bénédicte Chéron stressed that the armed forces’ primary role is not to address social fractures among French youth or serve as a socio-educational framework, countering a common misconception in France. This highlights a disconnect between public hopes and the military’s purpose, further fueling debates about the government’s budget priorities in social versus defense sectors.