President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to reintroduce military service for young people on a voluntary basis, as France joins other European nations in seeking to bolster its defence capabilities in the face of threats from Russia.
On a visit to a military base near Grenoble in south-east France on Thursday, Macron outlined plans to enable more young men and women to join the military from the summer of 2026. An initial cohort of 3,000 volunteers, mostly aged 18 and 19, will rise to 10,000 in 2030 and 50,000 in 2035 under the plans.
“In this uncertain world where might makes right . . . our nation has no right to be afraid, to panic, to be unprepared or to be divided,” he said in a speech in front of military personnel.
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