France Orders Hospitals to Prepare for Possible Military Conflict by March 2026
French hospitals have been instructed to brace for a potential large-scale military conflict in Europe, with readiness measures expected to be in place by March 2026.
The directive—initially revealed by satirical newspaper Le Canard enchaîné and later confirmed by Health Minister Catherine Vautrin—was issued by the French Health Ministry in July 2025. It urges medical facilities nationwide to prepare for the possibility of a “major military deployment,” including treatment for both domestic and foreign military personnel.
According to the document, hospitals must be capable of caring for between 10,000 and 15,000 individuals over a six-month period. The plan also calls for medical staging areas to be established near airports and seaports to allow for the rapid transfer and treatment of the wounded.
Defending the preparedness effort, Health Minister Vautrin described the move as part of a broader national strategy for crisis anticipation.
“It is perfectly normal for the country to anticipate crises and their consequences,” she stated. “Just like strategic stockpiling, this is a form of national readiness. We cannot forget how unprepared we were at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
This heightened readiness follows the French government’s release of a 20-page emergency “survival guide” earlier in 2025. The guide outlined 63 measures to help citizens prepare for a wide range of emergencies, including war, natural disasters, and nuclear incidents. French households were advised to stock essential supplies such as drinking water, canned food, batteries, flashlights, basic medication, and first aid kits.
Government officials have emphasized that the directive is not linked to any imminent threat, including from Russia, but is part of a post-pandemic resilience framework initiated in 2022. The General Secretariat for Defence and National Security (SGDSN), which oversaw the guide, said the measures are designed to help France respond to “all types of crises.”
Still, leading French newspaper Le Figaro noted that the directive could be interpreted as a response to rising geopolitical tensions, particularly amid ongoing instability in Eastern Europe and increased defense spending across NATO countries.
France has already boosted its defense budget, raising military expenditure from 2% of GDP to between 3% and 3.5%, in line with broader European efforts to reinforce security and military capabilities.
