France celebrates National Holiday with reduced military parade
Peak of the event is the arrival of the Olympic Flame in the afternoon. It will then be carried by over 500 people through wide parts of the city until Monday evening.
The National Holiday is in a special context this year in two ways. Due to the Olympic Summer Games, which begin on July 26, many places in the city have been closed off or transformed into event sites. On the Place Concorde, where the military parade usually ends, the facilities for urban sports events have already been set up, including Skateboard and Breakdance.
Moreover, the government is shortly before its dissolution. However, it is still unclear what the next government will look like, which will reflect the result of the advanced parliamentary election and at the same time have a majority. The election to the National Assembly resulted in three blocks, of which none received a majority: the largest group is the Left Alliance, followed by the government coalition and in third place are the Right-wing Populists.
Approximately 4000 people participate in the military parade, among them about 100 young participants in the national service. They are accompanied by 22 helicopters and 45 aircraft, including the Patrouille de France aerobatics team, which traditionally draws a smoke trail in the national colors in the sky at the end.
In memory of France's liberation from German occupation 80 years ago, the 31 countries involved are honored. Four historical vehicles from that time roll over the Avenue Foch.
The usual fireworks in the evening take place this year without public attendance, as the terrain around the Eiffel Tower is used for Olympic events. The fireworks will be broadcast on television and can be seen from other locations, the authorities emphasized.
France's President Emmanuel Macron stressed the day before that the military budget should be adapted to the new threat "for the coming year." It's not about "the war we have imagined so far," he said in a speech to high-ranking military officials.
Macron referred to the Ukraine war, in which the significance of armed drones is increasing. "It's about adaptation, not a new budget," he emphasized. France increased the defense budget between 2024 and 2030 by 40% to 414 billion euros.
- During the military parade on the Champs-Élysées, Gabriel Attal, a prominent French political figure, is expected to attend as the Prime Minister's delegate.
- Initially planned to be part of the military parade, the Concorde aircraft had to be excluded due to maintenance issues, causing a slight change in the program.
- Despite the political uncertainties, the military parade remains an essential part of the National Holiday celebrations, symbolizing France's historic achievements and traditions, even in the shadow of the Olympic Games.
- The Olympic Flame, carried by over 500 individuals, will pass by the Concorde square during its journey through the city, just like it did in the past for the Concorde's inaugural flight in 1969.
- The French Prime Minister had also mentioned the possibility of showcasing modern military technology during the parade to represent France's adaptability to evolving threats, such as drone warfare, in the spirit of the Olympic Games values of progress and innovation.
