France reinstates military service: it will last ten months and will be voluntary.

ParisAlmost four years after the start of the war in Ukraine And faced with "growing threats"—that is, the threat of a Russian attack—France is reinstating military service. It won't be mandatory as it was 28 years ago, when conscription ended and the French army was professionalized, but it will have many similarities. President Emmanuel Macron announced that it will begin next summer. "There is a generation ready to rise up for the homeland," he declared on Thursday. The French head of state chose a military base in the Alps to make the announcement and surrounded himself with very young soldiers in a carefully staged event. The French government plans to mobilize some 3,000 young people during the first summer, both men and women aged 18 and over, and estimates that by 2035 some 50,000 people will have completed the so-called voluntary national service (SNV). It will last 10 months and will be paid with a salary of 800 euros per month. The majority of young people entering military service will be between 18 and 19 years old, although some profiles useful to the army—for example, nurses, engineers, or translators—will also be accepted up to the age of 25. "This national service can only make sense if it is substantial," declared Macron, who specified that the available positions will have to be adapted "depending on the evolution of the threat." In fact, he announced that in the event of a "major crisis," Parliament could authorize the recruitment of other people who are not volunteers. "Then national service would become mandatory," explained the president. However, Macron stressed that this would be an "exceptional" situation. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the possibility of reinstating mandatory military service has been discussed on more than one occasion, but the French government had shelved the idea because it lacks sufficient infrastructure. Now Macron doesn't rule it out entirely, but only in the event of a conflict.

Popular support

However, France is taking a further step to prepare for the new geopolitical situation, where the Russian threat is increasingly real. It is not the only country. Other European partners, such as Germany, also plan to implement voluntary military service next year. According to a poll conducted by the BFMTV network, the idea enjoys broad support: 73% of the French are in favor of establishing voluntary military service. The president was not so explicit this Thursday, but in a speech to the military last summer, Macron admitted that Europe is "in danger" due to the "permanent" threat from Russia and warned that the country needs to strengthen its military. The reinstatement of conscription is a step in that direction. Voluntary service will serve to increase the number of reservists, who could be mobilized in the event of conflict, and to encourage interest in a military career. The French government aims to add 100,000 reservists by 2030. Currently, the country's armed forces have 200,000 active-duty personnel and 47,000 reservists, figures considered insufficient in the event of conflict. Macron asserted on Tuesday that the implementation of mandatory military service does not imply "sending young French people to Ukraine." The Élysée Palace occupant was responding to a controversy sparked by the words of the Chief of the Army Staff, Fabien Mandon, who said that the French must be prepared "to accept losing their sons" due to the possibility of war with Russia in the coming years – Mandon mentioned 2030. This Thursday, Macron emphasized that military service will be carried out entirely on French territory.

To attract young people who want to perform military service, the new "mobilization day" will be key—a day of military training that, this time, will be mandatory for all young French people from the age of 16. The Ministry of Defense sees this day as a stepping stone to voluntary military service. During the mandatory training day, The boys and girls will participate in activities to experience what a day in the army is like, with laser guns and virtual reality simulators.From this day, the "most motivated candidates who best meet the needs" of the army will be selected for voluntary military service. "The volunteers will acquire a spirit of discipline, be trained in weapons handling, marching, stepping, singing, and all the rituals that nurture the fraternity of our armed forces and contribute to the greatness of the nation," Macron emphasized. Those selected for voluntary service will undergo military training for one month and will then be assigned for nine months to a military unit anywhere in France.