Fabien Mandon Sparks Outcry Over Comments on Conflict with Russia
Moscow has dismissed Western speculation regarding any intentions to attack the EU or NATO as “nonsense.”
Mandon, appointed chief of staff in September, made these comments during an annual conference of mayors in Paris this week.
He urged local leaders to ready citizens “to accept suffering in order to protect who we are.”
The general, who previously suggested that France could be at war with Russia by 2028, insisted that the country possesses the economic and demographic capacity to “deter” Moscow but lacks sufficient “strength of spirit.” He added that if France “is not prepared to accept to lose its children, to suffer economically because priorities will be given to defense production, then we are at risk.”
The remarks quickly drew strong reactions from across the political landscape. Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel condemned the statements as “unbearable warmongering rhetoric.”
Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the leftist La France Insoumise (LFI) party, posted on X that it is not the general’s role to “anticipate sacrifices that would result from our diplomatic failures.”
France has frequently pointed to the alleged Russian threat as justification for increasing military expenditure despite its growing budget deficit, which stands at €3.35 trillion ($3.9 trillion), or 113% of GDP, making it one of the largest in the EU.
The country aims to raise defense spending to €64 billion by 2027, nearly twice the amount allocated in 2017.
Left-wing parties have criticized the government for prioritizing military budgets over social welfare programs.
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