After weeks of negotiations, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Wednesday, July 23, during a cabinet meeting that Air Force General Fabien Mandon – his current personal military chief of staff at the Elysée Palace – will be appointed as the new chief of the General Staff of the armed forces. This appointment marks the end of General Thierry Burkhard's term, who had held the position since summer 2021, and signals a new era at the highest levels of the French defense leadership at a time when the risk of confrontation with Russia remains high and the 2027 presidential election looms ever closer.

This decision had been anticipated, as General Burkhard, 60, had already received a one-year extension in 2024 – a rare exception, as serving for more than four years in this role is uncommon. "Thank you (...) for serving France with honor, courage and vision," Macron wrote on X. The president also confirmed the appointment of Army Corps General Vincent Giraud to replace General Mandon as personal military chief of staff. General Giraud had served as deputy chief of the armed forces for the past year and was expected to secure a prominent role in this carefully orchestrated transfer of responsibilities.

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