France / To cut 34,000 jobs in defence

Proposed cuts to France’s military spending met with stiff resistance from lawmakers and the army on Monday, although the flat budget of 179.2 billion euros over a five-year-period will mean 34,000 job losses by 2019.

France will keep its defence budget broadly stable for the next five years, after meeting stiff resistance from lawmakers and the army to proposed cuts, although the flat budget will mean 34,000 job losses by 2019.

A five-year blueprint for military strategy published on Monday said, “in total, from 2014 to 2019, the defence ministry will have to reduce its staff by about 34,000 people,” in a broad outline of defence priorities.

The “White Paper”, which covers the period from the start of 2014 to the end of 2018, maintains 2014 spending at 31.4 billion euros ($40.90 billion), equivalent to 1.5 percent of GDP, and sets a budget for the five-year period of 179.2 billion euros.

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via France to keep defence budget stable, cut 34,000 jobs – FRANCE – FRANCE 24.