France traditionally marks Bastille Day with a military parade through Paris and, each year, a “country of honour” as special guest. This year it’s Indonesia, with President Prabowo Subianto representing the world’s biggest Muslim country, which also is a major Asian economic and military player.
Indonesian troops, including 200 drummers, are marching in Monday’s parade, and Indonesia is expected to confirm new purchases of Rafale fighter jets and other French military equipment during the visit.
Read moreFrance’s Macron calls for major hike in defence spending: ‘To be free, we must be feared’
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On the eve of the parade, President Macron used his annual speech to the military to announce a hike in France’s defence budget and warn of growing threats to European security.
″Since 1945, freedom has never been so threatened, and never so seriously,” Macron said.
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Macron called for €6.5 billion euros in extra military spending in the next two years because of new and unprecedented threats ranging from Russia to nuclear proliferation, terrorists and online attacks. That would be double the 32 billion euros in annual spending when he became president in 2017.
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(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)
