Macron announces new French military service to start next summer
Euronews · New
Euronews
New
France will launch a voluntary military service programme for 18 and 19-year-olds in 2026, aiming to enrol 3,000 participants initially and up to 50,000 by 2035, the French president announced on Thursday.
Breakdown
- France to launch voluntary military service in summer 2026
- Program targets 18 and 19-year-olds based on motivation and military needs 11s
- Volunteers serve 10 months, including training and domestic deployment 20s
- Enrollment goal: 3,000 in 2026, 10,000 by 2030, 50,000 by 2035 1m 0s
- France's military is the EU's second largest after Poland 1m 12s