US EditionFrance wants to bring voluntary military service back
France will start a voluntary 10-month military service for mainly 18-19-year-olds in 2026, aiming to train 50,000 youth by 2035 to strengthen reserves amid rising security threats.
- During a speech at Varces, Macron announced a voluntary national military service to begin in summer 2026, emphasizing it is not a return to the old draft.
- Macron framed the plan as a response to growing Russian threats and hybrid pressures in Europe, citing recent military warnings from Gen Fabien Mandon about preparedness.
- The scheme targets recruitment numbers with 3,000 in 2026, rising to 10,000 by 2030 and 50,000 by 2035.
- The announcement effectively ends the Universal National Service, with Emmanuel Macron, President of France, reassuring it does not involve deployments to Ukraine, while funding questions remain amid tight budgets, according to the High Commissioner for Planning.
- Three decades after conscription ended, France gains 73% public support in an Elabe survey and aligns with European countries reviving military service, reversing Jacques Chirac's 1996 decision.
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241 Articles
This is a voluntary military service for French youth, primarily those aged 18 and 19. Young people up to 25 with specific skills, such as engineers, are also invited.
Macron Reveals 10-Month Army Service for Young Volunteers
Since President Jacques Chirac abolished compulsory military service almost thirty years ago, in 1997, many people in France have been calling for its return, in one form or another. Emmanuel Macron seems determined to take this path and made the announcement on Thursday, November 27th, during a visit to the Varces military base in Isère. According to him, the deteriorating international situation and the fear of a Russian attack justify the ret…
From 2026 onwards, 18 and 19-year-olds in France are expected to volunteer for military service. Emmanuel Macron continues to reject a return to compulsory military service.
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