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| French military head de Villiers quits over cuts | French military head de Villiers quits over cuts |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The head of the French armed forces has quit after a clash with President Emmanuel Macron over budget cuts. | The head of the French armed forces has quit after a clash with President Emmanuel Macron over budget cuts. |
| Gen Pierre de Villiers said in a statement he could no longer "guarantee the durability of the army model" that he considered necessary to ensure France's protection. | Gen Pierre de Villiers said in a statement he could no longer "guarantee the durability of the army model" that he considered necessary to ensure France's protection. |
| France's government last week revealed major cuts to bring its budget deficit below the level of an EU cap. | France's government last week revealed major cuts to bring its budget deficit below the level of an EU cap. |
| Mr Macron had said he would not tolerate dissent from the military. | Mr Macron had said he would not tolerate dissent from the military. |
| In a speech at the defence ministry last week, he said: "It is not dignified to hold certain debates in the public arena." | In a speech at the defence ministry last week, he said: "It is not dignified to hold certain debates in the public arena." |
| Then in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche, he said: "If the military chief of staff and the president are opposed on something, the military chief of staff goes." | Then in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche, he said: "If the military chief of staff and the president are opposed on something, the military chief of staff goes." |
| But he had also said the general had his "full trust" as long as he "knows the chain of command and how it works". | But he had also said the general had his "full trust" as long as he "knows the chain of command and how it works". |
| The pair had been scheduled to meet on Friday to try to sort out their differences. | The pair had been scheduled to meet on Friday to try to sort out their differences. |
| 'Reservations' | 'Reservations' |
| Gen de Villiers, 60, was infuriated by an €850m ($975m; £752m) cut in the military spending budget for 2017. Most was to come from cuts to equipment. | Gen de Villiers, 60, was infuriated by an €850m ($975m; £752m) cut in the military spending budget for 2017. Most was to come from cuts to equipment. |
| France cuts billions from public purse | France cuts billions from public purse |
| Macronomy: What are Emmanuel Macron's economic plans? | Macronomy: What are Emmanuel Macron's economic plans? |
| France: The economic challenge | France: The economic challenge |
| Gen de Villiers told a parliamentary committee last week that the government should not mess with him on the matter, using a far stronger expletive. | Gen de Villiers told a parliamentary committee last week that the government should not mess with him on the matter, using a far stronger expletive. |
| The general, who was appointed head of the military in February 2014 and had his tenure extended by Mr Macron in June, had previously spoken out on budget cuts. | The general, who was appointed head of the military in February 2014 and had his tenure extended by Mr Macron in June, had previously spoken out on budget cuts. |
| Shortly after he took up his role he had threatened to walk out over cuts that were later shelved. | Shortly after he took up his role he had threatened to walk out over cuts that were later shelved. |
| As he announced his resignation on Wednesday, he said he believed it was his duty to tell politicians of his "reservations". | As he announced his resignation on Wednesday, he said he believed it was his duty to tell politicians of his "reservations". |
| Former chief of the French armed forces Henri Bentégeat told Le Monde that the president had the right to impose his authority, but added: "The way he did it will leave marks. You can't publicly question a military leader like that in front of his subordinates." | Former chief of the French armed forces Henri Bentégeat told Le Monde that the president had the right to impose his authority, but added: "The way he did it will leave marks. You can't publicly question a military leader like that in front of his subordinates." |
| Mr Macron was elected president in May, defeating the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. | Mr Macron was elected president in May, defeating the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. |
| What are the defence cuts all about? | |
| President Macron wants to get the overall French budget deficit below a European Union cap of 3% of national income for 2017. | |
| As part of that effort, the government has earmarked €850m in savings in military spending for the year. New equipment orders will be delayed or cancelled and the defence ministry is also being asked to take on the €1.3bn cost of foreign operations. | |
| However, Mr Macron has also said he wants to raise defence spending in 2018 by €1.5bn to €34.2bn. | |
| Furthermore, he has pledged to lift the defence budget from 1.77% of GDP to Nato's target of 2% by 2025. That would mean a sum of €50bn - at least a further €2bn each year, unprecedented in France. | |
| It is unclear how these pledges played into Gen de Villiers' thinking, although he told MPs last week: "I know when I am being had." |