France’s military chief resigns after clash with Macron over budget cuts
Paris — France’s armed forces chief resigned on Wednesday in a dispute with President Emmanuel Macron over defence budget cuts, an early test of the newly elected president’s mettle and the tough presidential style he is cultivating. In a statement, 60-year-old Gen Pierre de Villiers said he had tried to keep the armed forces fit for an increasingly difficult task within the financial constraints imposed on it, but was no longer able to sustain that. "In the current circumstances I see myself as no longer able to guarantee the robust defence force I believe is necessary to guarantee the protection of France and the French people, today and tomorrow, and to sustain the aims of our country," he said. The 39-year-old Macron moved quickly to replace de Villiers, appointing Gen Francois Lecointre, 55, to fill the role. As well as being an early test for Macron, the departure of France’s most senior military leader highlights the stresses of a major military power as it battles Islamist i...
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