Chief of the Defence Staff (France)

République Française Chef d'État-Major des Armées
E.M.A Insignia Insigne de l'État-Major des Armées
Marque du Chef d'État-Major des Armées
Incumbent Général Pierre de Villiers since 15 February 2014
Member of	Chiefs of Staff Committee
Seat	Paris, France
Nominator	Ministère de la Défense
Appointer	Président de la République Française Require Premier Ministre Français countersignature
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	25th Chief since April 28, 1948
First holder	Jean-Louis Borel (1874-1875)
Website	http://www.defense.gouv.fr

The Chef d'État-Major des Armées (French: Chef d'État-Major des Armées) (acronym: C.E.M.A) is the Chief of defence of France and leading senior military officer responsible for usage of the French Armed Forces, ensuring the commandment of all military operations (under reserve of the particular dispositions relative to nuclear deterrence).

C.E.M.A is currently held by Général Chef d'État-Major des Armées.

The Chef d'État-Major des Armées (French: CEMA) assists the Ministre de la Défense in his capacity attributions to make use of the various required forces. C.E.M.A, in virtue of decree dispositions of July 15, 2009, under the authority of the President of France, the French government, and under the reserve of the particular dispositions relative to nuclear deterrence, is responsible for the use of forces and commandment of all military operations. CEMA is the military counselar of the government.

C.E.M.A has authority over the:

C.E.M.A responsibilities consist of:

C.E.M.A is responsible for :

Directly under the CEMA authority are :

The Chef d'État-Major des Armées (CEMA) is assisted by a Major General of the Armed Forces (French: Major Général des Armées), a senior ranked officer of the French Armed Forces.

While non official, the term Generalissimo or « French:  » was employed since 1914 to designate the individual who in reality was « Commandant en Chef des Armées du Nord et du Nord-Est » (English: Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the North and North-East). The term would be made official in 1915 when Joffre was also given command over the Salonika front (a degree of authority not enjoyed by his successors). The rank and post was successively occupied by three generals during World War I: Joseph Joffre, who occupied the rank and functions from August 1914 without bearing the official title, then Robert Nivelle and Philippe Pétain.