French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday unveiled a new voluntary military service programme aimed at strengthening France’s defence capacity amid rising concerns over Russia’s ambitions in Europe.
The scheme — almost 30 years after France scrapped compulsory conscription — will begin next year and run for 10 months. It will be open mainly to 18- and 19-year-olds, though applicants up to 25 with specialised skills, such as engineering, may also join. Volunteers will serve only within France’s mainland and overseas territories, not in foreign military operations.
Macron announced the plan during a visit to an infantry brigade in southeastern France, saying the goal is to reach 50,000 recruits per year by 2035. He stressed that France must not appear weak as Russia continues its full-scale war in Ukraine.
“The day you send a signal of weakness to Russia… it will continue to advance,” Macron warned earlier this week. He also noted that France aims to raise its defence spending to €64 billion by 2027 — double the amount in 2017 when he first took office.
The announcement follows public uproar sparked by France’s armed forces chief of staff, General Fabien Mandon, who recently said the country must be ready “to lose its children” as Russia prepares for potential confrontation by 2030. Macron has since attempted to calm public fears, insisting that the new service is not about sending French youth to Ukraine.
France joins several European countries — including Latvia, Lithuania, and Denmark — that have revived or strengthened military service programmes in response to rising security concerns.
The French military currently has around 200,000 active personnel and 47,000 reservists. These numbers are expected to grow to 210,000 and 100,000 respectively by 2030 as Europe prepares for a more uncertain security future.
