France aims to keep firepower while cutting military

France, which launched an armed intervention in Mali earlier this year, has declared its determination to sustain its punch as a leading military power, despite making fresh cuts to its defence forces.

Juggling severe budgetary pressures with its longstanding strategic ambitions, President François Hollande’s socialist government on Monday laid out plans to retain the country’s nuclear deterrent as well as preserve its ability to project significant force beyond its borders, both on its own and with its allies.

A white paper, or policy document, on defence, delayed for several months by wrangles over the potential budget consequences, said the armed forces would be reduced by 34,000 between 2014 and 2019, from a total of 218,000 today and on top of a 40,000 reduction over the past five years.

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