French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a new voluntary military service for young people, set to start by mid-2026, aiming to strengthen France’s defense against growing global threats.
The program targets 18- and 19-year-olds, lasts 10 months, and offers participants a salary. Initially, 3,000 youths will join in 2026, increasing to 10,000 by 2030, with a long-term goal of 50,000 by 2036 depending on evolving security challenges. Participants can return to civilian life, join the reserves, or continue in the armed forces.
Macron emphasized that this plan complements Europe’s broader security efforts and aligns France with other nations like Germany and Denmark, which have similar youth military programs. He stressed that this is not a return to conscription but a “hybrid army model” combining active forces, reservists, and national service participants.
The initiative will cost around €2 billion ($2.32 billion) and aims to expand France’s reservists from 47,000 to 100,000 by 2030, growing the total military force to roughly 210,000.
The announcement follows controversial remarks from General Fabien Mandon, who suggested France should prepare for potential future losses against Russian aggression. While Macron clarified that young volunteers would not be sent to Ukraine, some officials defended the general’s blunt message as a wake-up call about France’s security challenges.
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