This week France’s defence ministry announced plans to raise its spending by more than 40% – from 34.2 billion euros in 2018 to 50 billion euros in 2025. The move is to bring it in line with NATO targets following complaints that the US accounts for 70% of combined NATO defence spending and shoulders most of the commitment. “The increase in funding will have to be balanced against commitments by (President) Macron to tackle French overspending, which has seen the country repeatedly break European rules on deficits,” explains The Local (fr). The move has been called by Macron an “unprecedented budgetary effort.” Good coverage can also be found on The Telegraph.