FRENCH PRESIDENT ALSO CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES SPEAKS FOR NATIONAL DAY JULY 14

USPA NEWS - To mark the French National Day (14th July), President Francois Hollande, accompanied by the Defence Minister and the Prime Minister delivers a speech as army chief before an audience of officials and members of the French army prompts.There is no more garden party usually held at the Elysee Palace.

A FRIENDLY BUFFET AT “HOTEL BRIENNE“ AFTER THE SPEECH OF PRESIDENT HOLLANDE----------------------- The French national holiday was established by law in 1880, in reference to a double date, that of 14 July 1789, date of the fall of the Bastille, a symbolic day causing the end of absolute monarchy, followed by the end of the society of orders and privileges, and that of 14 July 1790, the day of national unity on the Feast of the Federation. Since then 14th of July is a bank holiday in France.It is a symbolic anniversary of the French revolution. Since then, the Garden Party of the Elysee, was celebrated in the gardens of the Elysee Palace since 1880, until it is removed in 2010, for reasons of restriction of budget expenditure. Indeed, on the occasion of the celebration of the National Day in France marking the anniversary every year by a big gigantic party, inviting both political men and women, journalists, stars of show buzz, intellectuals, unionists, actors ls civil society, at an estimated cost was € 730,000. The celebration of the national holiday has been replaced by the Minister of Defence, Jean-Yves Le Drian, who designed a soiree in honour of the units participating in the National Day celebrations. Only the happy few are invited from whom the ones who shall parade on the day after at the Champs Elysee.

IN SPENDING DEFENSE THE FRENCH ARMY IS THE 5TH JUST AFTER GERMANY, UK, UE and USA---------------- In 2012, the budget of the French Army is 31.4 billion euros, or 1.5% of GDP. Total headcount of the French Armed Forces represents 288,606 people including veterans. By comparison, France is ranked in position 5, after Germany, United Kingdom, European Union and USA in leading position in terms of defence spending. They are the military force of the French Republic for the defence of the country and protection of the national interests of France. They are composed of four three great forces which are under the exclusive authority of the Ministry of Defence: a ground force, the army, a navy, Navy and Air Force and aerospace, army air. The fourth force is the national police under the Ministry of Interior since 2009, while being placed under the dual authority of the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defence. The French Armed Forces also include various services and joint organisations under the authority of the Chief of Staff of the armies.

The French military doctrine is based on national independence, nuclear deterrence and military self-sufficiency. France is a NATO member, but left in 1966 to 2009's integrated military structure. Recently, she has been actively working with its allies to adapt its forces (internally and externally) to the new international environment due to the end of the Cold War. She is also a member of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Outside of NATO, France has actively participated in various operations of peacekeeping in Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans.

MORE WOMEN ARE INCREASINGLY INTEGRATED IN THE FRENCH ARMY OFFICERS WITH 4 WOMEN SINCE 2011------------------------------------------------------------------------However, access of female staff noncommissioned officers to special units remains low. Furthermore, access to some specialties remains restricted to men. Indeed, although there are some women officers in the gendarmerie mobile, employment NCO is not open to them. It is the same for the jobs of legionnaire and submariner, still forbidden to women - at least until 2017 for submariners -. The Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced April 15, 2014 the formation of three female officers, one doctor, from 2015 to be allocated on an experimental basis on a nuclear submarine missile launcher from 2017. The number in 2007 has 50 000 women all services.---------------------------------------------------------------------------Only four women were given the rank of general officer in 2011.

PRESIDENT HOLLANDE 'S SPEECH AT HOTEL BRIENNE WELCOMES FRENCH ARMY AND ENCOURAGES YOUTH TO GET ENROLLED-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At Hotel Brienne, on July 13th, the day before the parade at Champs Elysee, President Hollande called the parade the following day on the Champs Elysee, with the participation of the Mexican delegation in the special guest this year: (Tomorrow) “10,000 soldiers, including 3,500 men and women with the Mexican delegation tomorrow will parade along the Champs Elysées comprises 90 aircraft, which are "OUR" aircraft. Beyond the presence of the Mexican President, you scroll to your country, France, which is watched worldwide.“------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The President also made reference to the importance of the army to ensure the safety of citizens in France, despite the attempts to sow terror attacks since January: I welcome the Disabled and the military and their families that bring you their love of the state. I have a special thought for the wounded because of their courage, engaged in many areas. They have suffered and still suffer"-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “There is also the civic service of 70 000 young people who got engaged in the defence department this year and 150,000 for next year in France and in the overseas next fall, in the "Lorraine" and "La Rochelle" and Ile de France. It is a military path toward the integration of young people by their knowledge and values of good manners.“ The President also referred to the importance of the army to ensure the safety of citizens in France, despite the attempts to sow terror attacks since January: Terrorism and fundamentalism are not so far from home by the massacre in the Middle East and North Africa, the Sahel, also key to our land“. He then reaffirmed the willingness of France to face the terrorism and fight to maintain the ideal of Liberty, primary value of the symbolic of France :“Faced with these threats against our country has to fight against divisions, thanks to our ability to live together facing the fear that should not become suspicious and quarrelsome unable to carry out his destiny“.

President Hollande mentioned later the solidarity towards Greece and Ukraine mired in conflict, to form a solid strong Europe and in keeping with its history, two days after the conclusion of the Agreement between the Eurozone and the Greek debt. He then made a little humour with a wink to the US Pentagon, comparing it to the future Balard Building called “the French Pentagon “. This modern building often called the PENTAGON, referring to the American Pentagon, and maybe later we'll talk to the French BALARD same way as the Pentagon. A human challenge and a modern tool.“

President Hollande then encouraged the military prepared to parade on the Champs Elysee the day after under the slogan "UNIT": "The national holiday of July 14th is the Unity of France around the values of the Republic to inspire respect our influence that we are among the world. It is a nice idea, that ideal of the freedom, that we shall being expected and hoped, expected by the rest of the world. This is precisely because of this freedom that we have been attacked in January. " Eventually, The French President Hollande concluded : "The values of France are to establish peace and protect it. The national holiday is the symbol of the country, you serve the merit in being the bearer of a future greatness. This is what make us succeeding, vibrating, whatever our skin colour origin to live in peace and defend our freedom. Long live freedom lively la France! '----------------------------------------------------------------For more information see: www.elysee.fr, www.defense.gouv.fr SOURCE: www.defense.gouv.fr, www.elysee.fr Denis Boissière, « Femmes dans les armées, dans l'Armée de terre » [archive] (consulté le 23 août 2014). Fabrice Lundy, « Bercy veut-il la peau de la Défense ? » émission Les décodeurs de l'éco sur BFM, 26 mars 2013.