President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced a new voluntary military service for thousands of 18- and 19-year-olds, a move he says will help strengthen France’s armed forces amid rising concerns over Russia’s ambitions in Europe.
Speaking at the Varces military base in the French Alps, Macron said the 10-month program will begin next summer and will deploy young volunteers across mainland France and overseas territories — but not to combat missions abroad.
“In an uncertain world where power often outweighs law, our nation cannot afford fear or unpreparedness,” Macron said, calling the youth program a “new national service” that will be phased in gradually.
The first group of 3,000 volunteers will be selected next summer. The intake is expected to rise to 10,000 a year by 2030, with a long-term target of 50,000 participants annually by 2035, depending on global security conditions.
Volunteers will be given military status, pay, and equipment. After a month of basic training, they will spend nine months assigned to military units, performing the same duties as active-duty personnel. After completing the program, they will enter the military reserve while continuing their studies or careers. Those interested may pursue full-time military service.
Macron stressed that reinstating conscription — abolished in 1996 — is not on the table. Only in “exceptional circumstances,” and with parliamentary approval, could national service become compulsory for people identified as having key skills during France’s mandatory one-day defense course for youth.
The new initiative comes as Macron repeatedly warns that Russia’s war in Ukraine poses a serious threat to Europe. France plans to increase defense spending by €6.5 billion over the next two years and is aiming for €64 billion in annual defense expenditures by 2027 — double the amount when Macron took office in 2017. The national service program alone accounts for more than €2 billion in the 2026–2030 budget plan.
France currently has about 200,000 active military personnel and more than 40,000 reservists — the second-largest force in the European Union after Poland. The government aims to boost the number of reservists to 100,000 by 2030.
The announcement follows a stark warning from France’s new army chief, Gen. Fabien Mandon, who recently said the country must prepare for the possibility of “losing its children” in a future conflict with Russia, drawing criticism across the political spectrum. He cited Russia’s past actions — including territorial seizures in Georgia in 2008, Crimea in 2014, and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — and said Moscow appears to be preparing for a confrontation with NATO by 2030.
Other European countries are also expanding or revamping military service programs. Germany is planning a new voluntary service scheme; Belgium has invited 17-year-olds to apply for a pilot service program; and Poland aims to train 100,000 volunteers per year from 2027 under its voluntary reserve system.
Ten EU nations currently have compulsory service, including Finland, Greece, and Sweden, while non-EU member Norway mandates service for both men and women, lasting up to 19 months.