France’s military chief quit Wednesday in a dispute with President Emmanuel Macron over budget cuts, in a new challenge to Macron’s administration and his economic reforms.
The office of Gen. Pierre de Villiers, chief of staff of the armed forces, said he submitted his resignation to Macron at a security council meeting Wednesday and the president accepted. Macron’s office did not immediately comment.
De Villiers lashed out at new spending curbs during a closed-door parliamentary commission meeting last week, according to leaked reports.
Macron then publicly upbraided him, saying, “it is not dignified to air certain debates in the public sphere. I made commitments (to budget cuts). I am your boss.”
Originally published by the New York Post.