Florence Parly passes her entrance exam

(B2) For Florence Parly, who was speaking at the end of the summer defense university in Toulon, this Tuesday (September 5), it was a bit like both the back-to-school exam and the exam passing.

The newly appointed Defense, somewhat by chance, in June, had remained very discreet so far. We understand it. The impromptu resignation of Sylvie Goulard (after barely a few weeks in office), the reduction of the defense budget, the public spat between the President of the Republic and his chief of staff Pierre de Villiers, which ends logically by the resignation of the second, and a crisis of confidence in the armies were not really made to encourage the newcomer to express themselves publicly. Needless to say that in the middle of the armies, the discontent was strong against the public remonstrance against their former leader, perceived as a personal affront by each senior officer. His remarks were therefore eagerly awaited.

During this summer university, the Minister's voice was affirmed over the course of the interventions. And his closing speech was robust, filled with determination, with clear announcements.

“The President has given me a clear course, specific deadlines and new means to meet these challenges. I am determined to fulfill this mission, and I know that the entire defense community will be keen to mobilize around these objectives. »

Without denying anything of governmental discipline, taking great care to follow in the footsteps of the President of the Republic each time, she also held firm on the needs of the armies, the financial commitments necessary for future years, speaking of a "historic turning point".

“To implement this new vision, the armed forces will have increased resources. [...] From 2018, the budgetary appropriations of the Defense mission will increase by 1,8 billion euros. [...] This is the first step towards the objective set by the President of the Republic to increase the defense effort to 2% of GDP, i.e. 50 billion euros in 2025, at constant scope (*). [...] The rhythm of this increase will continue with an increase of 1,6 billion euros per year throughout the duration of the five-year period. This turning point is historic. For forty years, never financial effort in favor of the armies will have been so important”.

Wanting to close this painful chapter, it also wanted to move away from the financial ground (which is customary for it) to engage more forward on the format of the army of the future: the official decision to arm the drones is an act particularly important for French doctrine (even if it was in itself expected). The revision of Operation Sentinel and the adaptation of the device to the Levant, as well as its reaffirmed desire to defend European defense, also testify to a sharpened operational and political awareness.

The Minister's strict attitude, without the complicit smile to which some of her European counterparts had accustomed us, completed the picture. We found a certain mimicry with the German Ursula von der Leyen, with whom Florence Parly will work on a regular basis (this is her roadmap) or with an illustrious predecessor in this position, Michèle Alliot Marie.

The future will tell if in the minds and hearts of the military, she can replace MAM or Jean-Yves Le Drian. The bar is set high. But certainly, in the large hangar of the BPC Mistral, anchored at the quay in the Toulon naval base, in front of an assembly made up of people who 'count' in the world of defense (the military, industrialists, researchers, journalists) , Florence Parly took the first step.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde, in Toulon, on the BPC Mistral)

(*) The word "constant scope" is important. And the minister insisted on this point. This could mean in particular that the financing of the new national service will be in addition to this amount.

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