The implementation of the Franco-German programs for the new main battle tank MGCS (Main Ground Combat System) and the sixth-generation fighter FCAS (Future Combat Air System) could be disrupted by France’s unstable political situation, reports The Washington Post in an editorial.

“It will be difficult to plan long-term projects in a country where prime ministers change constantly, the prospects for stability are unclear, and [Emmanuel] Macron is a weak president with only two years left in office,” the publication notes. It is expected that Germany and France, as the EU’s two largest economies, will finance the majority of these projects. Under such circumstances, German policymakers are likely to be cautious in funding these initiatives, “since it is difficult to carry out large defense projects when the balance of power in France is constantly shifting.”

The FCAS program is intended to replace the Eurofighter beginning in 2040. Earlier, DPA reported that the development of the sixth-generation FCAS fighter has sparked serious disagreements between Berlin and Paris over the allocation of design work and production orders among companies in the two countries.

The MGCS tank is also scheduled to be ready by 2040 and is expected to eventually replace Germany’s Leopard 2 main battle tank and France’s Leclerc. Currently, the initiative is still in the design phase.

France is experiencing a political crisis. In less than a year, the country has seen three changes in government leadership. On October 6, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned, stating that his “mission was complete,” but on October 10, President Macron reappointed Lecornu as prime minister, confirming the appointment.