Minister of the Armed Forces (France)

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Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs
Ministre des Armées et des Anciens combattants (French)
Marque mindef.svg
Honor flag and naval jack of the minister
Vautrin 1503548 (cropped).jpg
since 12 October 2025
Ministry of the Armed Forces
Member of Government
Reports to
Seat
Nominator Prime Minister
Appointer President
Term length No fixed term
Precursor
Formation21 November 1945 (1945-11-21)
First holder Edmond Michelet
Deputy
Salary10,135€ per month
Website www.defense.gouv.fr

The Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs (French : Ministre des Armées et des Anciens combattants, lit. 'Minister of the Armies and Veterans') is the leader and most senior official of the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, tasked with running the French Armed Forces. The minister is the third-highest civilian [1] having authority over France's military, behind the President of the Republic [2] and the Prime Minister. [3] Based on the governments, they may be assisted by a minister or state secretary for veterans' affairs.

Contents

The office is considered to be one of the core positions of the Government of France. The previous minister Bruno Le Maire, resigned on 6 October 2025.

History

The minister in charge of the Armed Forces has evolved within the epoque and regimes. The Secretary of State of War was one of the four specialised secretaries of state established in France in 1589. This State Secretary was responsible for the French Army (similarly, the Naval Ministers of France and the Colonies was created in 1669). In 1791, the Secretary of State of War became Minister of War , with this ministerial function being abolished in 1794 and re-established in 1795. Since 1930, the position was often referred to as Minister of War and National Defence. In 1947, two years after World War II, the ministry merged with the Ministry of the Navy and the Ministry of Air (created in 1930), while being headed by a Minister of National Defence responsible for the French Armed Forces, often referred to as Minister of the Armies and since 1947 until 2017, designated as Minister of Defence.

Powers and functions

As the head of the military, the minister is part of the Council of Defence. [4] In addition to their authority over the armed forces, the minister also heads the external and military intelligence community. [1] In this capacity, they are also a member of the National Council of Intelligence. [5]

Although the Minister of the Armed Forces is the official responsible for veterans affairs, [6] they usually delegate their powers to a dedicated subordinate minister or state secretary.

The direct military subordinates of the minister are the: [7]

Officeholders

Provisional Government

No.PortraitNameTermGovernment President Ref.
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Ministry established
  • Minister of the Armed Forces
  • (Ministre des Armées)
1 Edmond Michelet (1899-1970).jpg Edmond Michelet 21 November 194516 December 19461 year, 25 days
  • de Gaulle II
  • Gouin
  • Bidault I
 [8]
Serving with Minister of National Defence, Charles de Gaulle
  • Minister of National Defence
  • (Ministre de la Défense nationale)
2 Andre Le Troquer en 1948.jpg André Le Troquer 16 December 194622 January 194737 daysBlum III Léon Blum [9]

Fourth Republic

No.PortraitNameTermGovernment President Ref.
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
  • Minister of National Defence
  • (Ministre de la Défense nationale)
3 Francois Billoux.png François Billoux 22 January 19474 May 1947102 daysRamadier I Vincent Auriol [10]
Serving with: War Minister Paul Coste-Floret; Navy Minister Louis Jacquinot; Air Minister André Maroselli
Interim by Yvon Delbos, Minister of State, from 4 May 1947 to 22 October 1947. [11]
  • Minister of the Armed Forces – Merger of the War, Navy and Air ministries [12]
  • (Ministre des Forces armées)
4 Pierre-Henri Teitgen.jpg Pierre-Henri Teitgen 22 October 194726 July 1948278 days
  • Ramadier II
  • Schuman I
 Vincent Auriol [13]
  • Minister of National Defence
  • (Ministre de la Défense nationale)
5 Rene Mayer en 1949.jpg René Mayer 26 July 194811 September 194847 days
  • Marie
  • Schuman II
 Vincent Auriol [14]
6 Paul Ramadier en 1947.jpg Paul Ramadier 11 September 194828 October 19491 year, 47 daysQueuille I [15]
7 Rene Pleven.png René Pleven 28 October 194912 July 1950257 days
  • Bidault II–III
  • Queuille II
 [16]
8 Jules Moch en 1950.jpg Jules Moch 12 July 195011 August 19511 year, 30 days
  • Pleven I
  • Queuille III
 [17]
9 Georges Bidault.jpg Georges Bidault 11 August 19518 March 1952210 days
  • Pleven II
  • Faure I
 [18]
10 Rene Pleven.jpg René Pleven 8 March 195219 June 19542 years, 103 days
  • Pinay
  • Mayer
  • Laniel I–II
 [19]
René Coty
  • Minister of National Defence and the Armed Forces
  • (Ministre de la Défense nationale et des Forces armées)
11 Bezoek van de Franse generaal J.P. Koenig aan de Stormschool Bloemendaal. NL-HlmNHA 54004047 (cropped).JPG Pierre Kœnig 19 June 195414 August 195456 daysMendès-France René Coty [20]
Interim by Emmanuel Temple, Minister of Veterans and War Victims, from 14 August 1954 to 3 September 1954. [21]
12 Blanco portrait.svg Emmanuel Temple3 September 195420 January 1955139 daysMendès-France René Coty [22]
  • Minister of the Armed Forces
  • (Ministre des Armées)
13 Bourges-Maunoury - Levi Eshkol 1958 (cropped).jpg Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury 20 January 195523 February 195534 daysMendès-France René Coty [23]
Serving with Minister of National Defence, Jacques Chevallier
  • Minister of National Defence and the Armed Forces
  • (Ministre de la Défense nationale et des Forces armées)
14 Bezoek van de Franse generaal J.P. Koenig aan de Stormschool Bloemendaal. NL-HlmNHA 54004047 (cropped).JPG Pierre Kœnig 23 February 19556 October 1955225 daysFaure II René Coty [24]
15 General Pierre Billotte (1957).jpg Pierre Billotte 6 October 19551 February 1956118 days [25]
16 Bourges-Maunoury - Levi Eshkol 1958 (cropped).jpg Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury 1 February 195613 June 19571 year, 132 daysMollet [26]
17 Blanco portrait.svg André Morice 13 June 19576 November 1957146 daysBourgès-Maunoury [27]
18 Jacques Chaban-Delmas-1.jpg Jacques Chaban-Delmas 6 November 195714 May 1958189 daysGaillard [28]
19 Blanco portrait.svg Pierre de Chevigné 14 May 19581 June 195818 daysPflimlin [29]
  • Minister of the Armed Forces
  • (Ministre des Armées)
20 Blanco portrait.svg Pierre Guillaumat 1 June 19588 January 1959221 daysde Gaulle III René Coty [30]
Serving with Minister of National Defence, Charles de Gaulle

Fifth Republic

No.PortraitNameTermGovernment President Ref.
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
  • Minister of the Armed Forces
  • (Ministre des Armées)
21 Blanco portrait.svg Pierre Guillaumat 8 January 19595 February 19601 year, 28 daysDebré Charles de Gaulle [31]
22 Pierre Messmer01 (cropped 2).JPG Pierre Messmer 5 February 196022 June 19699 years, 137 days
  • Debré
  • Pompidou I–II–III–IV
  • Couve de Murville
 [32]
Interim : Alain Poher
  • Minister of National Defence
  • (Ministre de la Défense nationale)
23 Michel Debre.jpg Michel Debré 22 June 19695 April 19733 years, 287 days
  • Chaban-Delmas;
  • Messmer I
 Georges Pompidou [33]
  • Minister of the Armed Forces
  • (Ministre des Forces armées)
24 Blanco portrait.svg Robert Galley 5 April 197328 May 19741 year, 53 daysMessmer II–III [34]
  • Minister of Defence
  • (Ministre de la Défense)
25 Blanco portrait.svg Jacques Soufflet28 May 197431 January 1975248 daysChirac I Valéry Giscard d'Estaing [35]
26 Yvon Bourges (cropped).jpg Yvon Bourges 31 January 19752 October 19805 years, 245 days
  • Chirac I;
  • Barre I–II–III
 [36]
27 Blanco portrait.svg Joël Le Theule 2 October 198022 December 198081 daysBarre III [37]
28 Blanco portrait.svg Robert Galley 22 December 198022 May 1981151 days [38]
29 Charles Hernu.jpg Charles Hernu 22 May 198120 September 19854 years, 121 days
  • Mauroy I–II–III;
  • Fabius
 François Mitterrand [39]
30 Paul Quiles.jpg Paul Quilès 20 September 198520 March 1986181 daysFabius [40]
31 Andre Giraud 1987 (cropped).jpg André Giraud20 March 198612 May 19882 years, 53 daysChirac II [41]
32 Jean-Pierre chevenement et general jb pinatel a Valmy septembre 1989 (cropped).jpg Jean-Pierre Chevènement 12 May 198829 January 19912 years, 262 days Rocard I–II [42]
33 Pierre Joxe - Fevrier 2013.jpg Pierre Joxe 29 January 19919 March 19932 years, 39 days
 [43]
34 Pierre-Beregovoy.webp Pierre Bérégovoy 9 March 199330 March 199321 daysBérégovoy [44]
35 Francois Leotard 1988 (cropped).jpg François Léotard 30 March 199318 May 19952 years, 49 daysBalladur [45]
36 William S. Cohen - Charles Millon (cropped).jpg Charles Millon 18 May 19954 June 19972 years, 17 daysJuppé I–II Jacques Chirac [46]
37 Alain Richard.jpg Alain Richard 4 June 19977 May 20024 years, 337 daysJospin [47]
38 Michele Alliot-Marie, French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs (5277700729) (cropped).jpg Michèle Alliot-Marie 7 May 200218 May 20075 years, 11 days
  • Raffarin I–II–III;
  • de Villepin
39 Defense.gov News Photo 100208-D-7203C-003 (cropped).jpg Hervé Morin 18 May 200714 November 20103 years, 180 daysFillon I–II Nicolas Sarkozy
  • Minister of Defence and Veterans
  • (Ministre de la Défense et des Anciens Combattants)
40 Alain Juppe in Washington DC (cropped).jpg Alain Juppé 14 November 201027 February 2011105 days Fillon III Nicolas Sarkozy
41 Gerard Longuet (cropped).jpg Gérard Longuet 27 February 201116 May 20121 year, 79 days
  • Minister of Defence
  • (Ministre de la Défense)
42 Reuven Rivlin at a meeting with Jean-Yves Le Drian, March 2018 (9730) (cropped).jpg Jean-Yves Le Drian 16 May 201217 May 20175 years, 1 day François Hollande
  • Minister of the Armed Forces
  • (Ministre des Armées)
43 Hearing of Sylvie Goulard (France) , candidate commissioner for internal market (48832160786) (cropped).jpg Sylvie Goulard 17 May 201721 June 201735 days Philippe I Emmanuel Macron
44 Florence Parly 190907-D-BN624-0170 (48694393657) (cropped).jpg Florence Parly 21 June 201720 May 20224 years, 333 days
45 Portrait Sebastien Lecornu.jpg Sébastien Lecornu 20 May 20225 October 20253 years, 138 days
46 Bruno Le Maire in 2022.jpg Bruno Le Maire 5 October 20256 October 20251 day Lecornu I [66]
[67]
Interim by Sébastien Lecornu, Prime Minister, from 6 October 2025 to 12 October 2025. [67]
47 Catherine Vautrin 12 October 2025Incumbent11 days Lecornu II Emmanuel Macron

Timeline

Bruno Le MaireSébastien LecornuFlorence ParlySylvie GoulardJean-Yves Le DrianGérard LonguetAlain JuppéHervé MorinMichèle Alliot-MarieAlain RichardCharles MillonFrançois LéotardPierre JoxeJean-Pierre ChevènementPaul QuilèsCharles HernuJoël Le TheuleYvon BourgesRobert GalleyMichel DebréPierre MessmerPierre GuillaumatMinister of the Armed Forces (France)

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Defence Code – Article L1142-1".
  2. ↑ "Defence Code – Article L1121-1".
  3. ↑ "Defence Code – Article L1131-1".
  4. ↑ "Defence Code – Article R*1122-2".
  5. ↑ "Defence Code – Article R*1122-7".
  6. ↑ "Defence Code – Article R*1142-2".
  7. ↑ "Defence Code – Article R*3111-1".
  8. ↑ Provisional Government of the French Republic (21 November 1945), Decree on the composition of the government (in French), retrieved 12 July 2020– via Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)
  9. ↑ Provisional Government of the French Republic (16 December 1946), "Decree on the composition of the government", Journal officiel de la République française: Lois et décrets (in French), p. 10691, N°294
  10. ↑ Government of the French Republic (22 January 1947). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  11. ↑ Government of the French Republic (4 May 1947). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  12. ↑ Government of the French Republic (31 October 1947). "Décret n°47-2110 relatif aux attributions du ministre des forces armées". gallica.bnf.fr. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  13. ↑ Government of the French Republic (22 October 1947). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  14. ↑ Government of the French Republic (26 July 1948). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  15. ↑ Government of the French Republic (11 September 1948). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  16. ↑ Government of the French Republic (28 October 1949). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  17. ↑ Government of the French Republic (12 July 1950). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  18. ↑ Government of the French Republic (11 August 1951). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  19. ↑ Government of the French Republic (8 March 1953). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  20. ↑ Government of the French Republic (19 June 1954). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  21. ↑ Government of the French Republic (14 August 1954). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  22. ↑ Government of the French Republic (3 September 1954). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  23. ↑ Government of the French Republic (20 January 1955). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  24. ↑ Government of the French Republic (23 February 1955). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  25. ↑ Government of the French Republic (6 October 1955). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  26. ↑ Government of the French Republic (1 February 1956). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  27. ↑ Government of the French Republic (13 June 1957). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  28. ↑ Government of the French Republic (6 November 1957). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  29. ↑ Government of the French Republic (14 May 1958). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  30. ↑ Government of the French Republic (1 June 1958). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  31. ↑ Government of the French Republic (8 January 1959). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  32. ↑ Government of the French Republic (5 February 1960). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  33. ↑ Government of the French Republic (22 June 1969). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  34. ↑ Government of the French Republic (5 April 1973). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  35. ↑ Government of the French Republic (28 May 1974). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  36. ↑ Government of the French Republic (31 January 1975). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  37. ↑ Government of the French Republic (2 October 1980). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  38. ↑ Government of the French Republic (22 December 1980). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  39. ↑ Government of the French Republic (22 May 1981). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  40. ↑ Government of the French Republic (20 September 1985). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  41. ↑ Government of the French Republic (20 March 1986). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  42. ↑ Government of the French Republic (12 May 1988). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  43. ↑ Government of the French Republic (29 January 1991). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  44. ↑ Government of the French Republic (9 March 1993). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  45. ↑ Government of the French Republic (30 March 1993). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  46. ↑ Government of the French Republic (18 May 1995). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  47. ↑ Government of the French Republic (4 June 1997). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  48. ↑ Government of the French Republic (7 May 2002). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  49. ↑ "Lebanon army starts to move south". BBC. 17 August 2006. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  50. ↑ Government of the French Republic (18 May 2007). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  51. ↑ Elitsa Vucheva (2 October 2008). "EU peacekeepers to leave Bosnia". EUobserver . Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  52. ↑ Government of the French Republic (14 November 2010). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  53. ↑ Steven Erlanger (14 November 2010). "Sarkozy Appoints a More Rightist Cabinet in Reshuffle". The New York Times . Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  54. ↑ Government of the French Republic (27 February 2011). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  55. ↑ "French Foreign Minister Alliot-Marie quits over Tunisia". BBC. 27 February 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  56. ↑ Government of the French Republic (16 May 2012). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  57. ↑ "New Socialist cabinet takes power in France". France 24. 16 May 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  58. ↑ Government of the French Republic (17 May 2017). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  59. ↑ Alissa J. Rubin (17 May 2017). "Macron's Cabinet Gives Glimpse of How He Plans to Govern France". The New York Times . Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  60. ↑ Government of the French Republic (21 June 2017). "Decree on the composition of the government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  61. ↑ "Macron reshuffles cabinet, boosts women to top posts". France 24. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  62. ↑ "Macron and PM Borne name reshuffled government, with many familiar faces". Le Monde.fr. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  63. ↑ Lemaignen, Julien (20 May 2022). "Sébastien Lecornu named as France's new defense minister at a time of raging war in Ukraine". Le Monde.fr. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  64. ↑ "Macron names right-leaning French government under Michel Barnier". The Guardian . 21 September 2024. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  65. ↑ "France has a new government. Now it must fix the budget while avoiding collapse". Associated Press . 23 December 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  66. ↑ "Gouvernement Lecornu : la liste des 18 ministres nommés dimanche soir" (in French). 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  67. 1 2 "Newly named French defense minister quits after backlash to appointment". Le Monde. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
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