Rearm EU or Disarm EU ? Non-profit BonSens.org shakes up the EU and stands up for peace !

Summary : The French non-profit BonSens.org has filed a complaint with the European Ombudsman against the European Commission and Ursula von der Leyen, challenging the “REARM Europe” plan, adopted on 6 March 2025, which mobilises €800 billion to strengthen the EU militarily and support Ukraine. After alerting the IAEA to a possible violation of the NPT by the France, BonSens.org criticizes this plan. The statements of the French minister Éric Lombard, who proposes to mobilise private savings (such as the Livret A) to finance defence, have raised fears of a drain. Supported by a France-Soir/BonSens.org poll (March 12, 2025) showing that only 14% support more aid to Ukraine and 74% fear nuclear war, the association advocates for peace. A 30-day truce between Ukraine and Russia offers an alternative. Faced with massive mistrust of Macron (96% disapprove of the direction he is giving to the country) and the EU (69% consider it corrupt), this citizen initiative could inspire MEPs from all European countries who are contesting rearmament. 
“REARM Europe” or “DISARM Europe”?

Non-profit BonSens.org calls on the European Ombudsman on the “REARM Europe” plan: a citizens' approach for peace in the face of contested rearmament

In a press release, the French association BonSens.org announced that it had referred the matter to the European Ombudsman with a complaint for maladministration against the European Commission and its president, Ursula von der Leyen, concerning the “REARM Europe” plan. This plan, presented on 4 March 2025 and adopted at the European summit on 6 March, provides for a massive mobilisation of €800 billion to strengthen the European Union's (EU) military capabilities and support Ukraine against Russia. BonSens.org, which had already alerted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to a possible violation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) by the France, is intensifying its efforts to promote peace by challenging the legality and legitimacy of this initiative.

A controversial plan and ambiguous statements on French savings

The “REARM Europe” plan comes in a context of geopolitical tensions exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and alarmist statements by European officials. In France, the Minister of the Economy, Éric Lombard, added a national dimension to this project by evoking, on March 12, 2025, a mobilization of private savings to finance the defense effort. Lombard told the Senate: " We are indeed going to mobilise private savings such as the Livret A or other savings products. The French must participate in this effort... ». However, he qualified this position by dismissing the idea of a dedicated savings account, saying: " I'm not sure that a dedicated savings account is a solution since there are already many savings tools that exist “.  The proposal, which aims to redirect funds such as the Livret A to defence without increasing public debt, has raised concerns among citizens, many of whom fear an indirect drain on their personal savings to finance a war they do not fully support. A drain that would come in addition to taxes of course.

BonSens.org sees in these statements an overstepping of national and European competences, arguing that neither the European Commission nor the French government have demonstrated a direct threat from Russia against an EU member state justifying such a mobilization. The association is asking the European Ombudsman to examine whether this plan complies with the European treaties (in particular Articles 42 TEU and 122 TFEU) and whether von der Leyen's remarks, such as those of 27 February 2025 presenting Russia as an “existential threat”, are war propaganda contrary to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and UN Resolution 110.

The French are in favour of peace, according to a France-Soir/BonSens.org poll

This approach is based on a popular sentiment widely shared in France. An exclusive poll conducted by France-Soir and BonSens.org, published on March 12, 2025 under the title " The French say stop to Europe and war: Macron alone against all “, reveals a deep mistrust of bellicose policies. Based on a sample of 1,200 people interviewed on February 27, 2025, this poll shows that only 14% of French people want an increase in aid to Ukraine, while 54% prioritize national interests and 74% perceive, in the current state of affairs, a probable or certain risk of global nuclear war. In addition, 55% consider that France should not send weapons to countries at war and 73% reject the idea of sending French troops to Ukraine. These figures reflect a worried France, tired of costly international commitments and turned towards de-escalation, in stark contrast to the bellicose speeches of Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen.

A window for peace: a 30-day ceasefire under discussion?

Faced with this rise in tensions, the idea of a temporary ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia is gaining ground. European and Russian diplomats, quoted in confidential reports relayed by Reuters on March 10, 2025, mention a proposal for a 30-day truce to allow for talks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying: " We are ready for a pause if the West stops demonizing us and agrees to negotiate without ultimatums .” For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during an interview on CNN on March 11, nuanced: " A ceasefire is possible, but not at the cost of our sovereignty. Russia must prove its good faith .” Since Putin has only given his approval to this initiative, it could lay the foundations for a concrete alternative to the massive rearmament advocated by “REARM Europe”, thus responding to the pacifist aspirations of the French and other Europeans.

A civic approach in the face of discredited institutions

BonSens.org's complaint is part of a series of actions carried out by the association to defend the interests of the population in the face of institutions perceived as disconnected. In the second part of the analysis of the same France-Soir/BonSens.org poll published with the title " Macron rejected, debt decried, democracy demanded: the people want power “, shows that 72% of the French do not agree with the way Macron manages the country and only 4% think that he is leading the country in the right direction. This mistrust, coupled with a loss of trust in the EU perceived as too corrupt by 69%, pushes citizens to act where governments fail to represent their aspirations – 76% believing that the government does not act in the interest of the population.

This initiative could inspire other European countries or actors. In Romania, a country in the grip of a democratic crisis following the Constitutional Court's decision to invalidate the candidacy of Georgescu, the candidate who came out on top in the 2024 elections – before these elections were annulled on suspicion of foreign interference declared without evidence to be of Russian origin. However, in the face of what is perceived as interference by the EU or France in the Romanian democratic process, some MPs such as those of the AUR/POR party, who have denounced an " electoral coup d'état “, could join such steps. Contesting a rearmament that they consider useless in the face of an unproven Russian threat, these elected representatives favor sovereignty and peace over the militaristic ambitions of Brussels. A transnational coalition of dissident citizens and politicians could thus emerge to counter “REARM Europe” and promote a de-escalation with “DISARM Europe”. 

Towards a Europe of peace or war?

By referring the matter to the European Ombudsman, BonSens.org is not just criticising; she proposes a reflection on the founding values of the EU – peace, democracy, proportionality – in the face of a plan that, in her opinion, betrays them. At a time when the French are calling for peace and opportunities such as a 30-day ceasefire are emerging, this citizen initiative is putting pressure on institutions in crisis of legitimacy. It remains to be seen whether the European Ombudsman will follow up and whether other voices, in Europe and beyond, will amplify this momentum to avoid an escalation with unpredictable consequences. 

“REARM Europe” or “DISARM Europe”? That is the question.
BonSens.org won't disarm in its quest for peace and its defence of transparency and fundamental rights.