Ministry of Defence (France)

The French Ministry of Defence ( Ministère de la Défense ) is the ministry that leads the French forces. Supreme Commander of the Army, the French President. The French defense budget in 2009 was the third highest in the world.

Current defense minister since May 16, 2012 Jean -Yves Le Drian; He is member of the cabinet and in the cabinet Ayrault I Ayrault II The Defense Department has a long tradition; first Secretary of Defense was in 1589 Louis de Revol.

Structure

The Ministry is headed by the Minister of Defence. The official name is since November 14, 2010 ministre de la Défense et des Anciens Combattants; Minister and ministry are thus also responsible for the veterans (French anciens combattants ).

The Ministry is located in the Hôtel de Brienne, 14 rue Saint -Dominique in the 7th arrondissement of Paris and is 2015 to move to another site; the construction in the southwest of Paris are called project Balard.

Others

In 1966, France withdrew under President Charles de Gaulle withdrew from the military structure of NATO. Since June 2009, France is again a full member of NATO.