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Russia Today
2 days ago
- Business
- Russia Today
France can't afford military spending splurge
France may not be able to afford to ramp up defense spending under a broader EU militarization drive, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing experts. The country's growing national debt and large budget deficit present major obstacles to its rearmament goals, the newspaper noted. President Emmanuel Macron earlier proposed raising defense spending to 3-3.5% of GDP by 2030 – nearly double the current level – which would require an extra €30 billion ($34 billion) annually. However, experts told the FT that France's fiscal position is too precarious to go through with the plan. They noted that debt-to-GDP ratio hit 113% in 2024, one of the highest in the EU, while the budget deficit reached 5.8%, almost twice the EU's 3% cap. Interest payments on debt totaled €59 billion last year and are expected to reach €62 billion in 2025 – roughly the combined annual cost of defense and education. Experts also noted that the government is struggling to pass a deficit-reduction package, which reportedly features unpopular moves such as cuts to social spending, including pension tax breaks and healthcare subsidies. 'In France, and this is probably different than elsewhere, we cannot go back on our deficit reduction goals, nor can we raise taxes since they are already very high,' Clement Beaune, a former minister for Europe and Macron ally, who heads a government think tank, the told FT. Experts said France could apply for the EU's 'escape clause,' which allows countries to exceed deficit caps to boost defense budgets by 1.5% of GDP. However, they warned that the move is unlikely, as it could spook bond markets and drive up borrowing costs. Paris could also join another EU scheme offering loans for joint arms purchases. Experts, however, said that rising costs and inflation could mean France would end up with fewer weapons even if it boosts spending. Some described it as a 'bonsai army' – broad in scope, but limited in scale. France's rearmament plans come as the EU pushes for more spending and less reliance on US weapons, citing a supposed Russian threat. Moscow has repeatedly dismissed the claims as 'nonsense,' accusing the West of using fear to justify funneling public funds into arms. Russian officials have warned the EU's buildup risks wider conflict. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova recently said the bloc 'has degraded into an openly militarized entity.'
Straits Times
18-05-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Cat on train tracks? 20 minutes to retrieve it, France says
If a pet falls onto the train tracks, staff have 20 minutes to spot and remove the animal. PHOTO: AFP Cat on train tracks? 20 minutes to retrieve it, France says PARIS - In 2023, a departing train in Paris ran over a cat that had escaped from a traveller's bag, in a case that caused an uproar in France. Despite requests from the animal's owners to delay the departure and rescue the animal, the Paris-Bordeaux high-speed TGV train with 800 passengers on board left, slicing Neko the cat in two. France's national rail operator SNCF insisted at the time that the animal was 'not visible'. After two years of deliberation, SNCF has now issued clear rules. If your pet escapes and falls onto the train tracks in France, a train can be delayed by a maximum of 20 minutes, according to the new protocol, a copy of which was seen by AFP. The protocol 'formalises practices that have always been in place in this type of situation and are applied with common sense and humanity by our staff', a spokesman for rail infrastructure management unit SNCF Reseau told AFP on May 16 . The new rules were spelled out in a memo to SCNF staff on May 15 . Once a passenger has reported an animal missing, SNCF staff have 10 minutes to 'clear up any doubts' by trying to spot the animal from the platform, according to the new rules. If the missing pet is spotted, staff have a maximum of 10 minutes 'to remove the animal without entering the danger zone' and accessing the tracks. If the animal still does not emerge, the train is required to proceed at very low speed to give it a final chance to escape. Neko's owners sued SNCF but lost on appeal. After the cat's death, then transport minister Clement Beaune had asked the SNCF chief executive to look into 'all possible options for changing your internal procedures'. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
