Macron unveils voluntary military service plan for France
Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron (Getty Images)
French President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled a plan for voluntary military service. The country is seeking to strengthen its armed forces amid threats from Russia following the end of the war against Ukraine, Bloomberg reports.
Macron announces that volunteers aged 18 and 19 will begin service next year under a new 10-month military service program.
He says the new national service will be gradually introduced, starting next summer.
According to the President, young volunteers will only serve on the mainland of France and its overseas territories, and not in military operations abroad.
The French armed forces currently have about 200,000 active military personnel and more than 40,000 reservists.
This makes the French army the second largest in the European Union, second only to Poland.
At the same time, France wants to increase the number of reservists to 100,000 by 2030.
In France, against the backdrop of the threat from Russia, voluntary military service may soon be introduced. President Emmanuel Macron plans to announce the decision.
Various scenarios of the plan envisage the recruitment of 10,000 to 50,000 people per year. According to a number of French media outlets, voluntary service will last 10 months and will be paid at a rate of several hundred euros per month.
The German government has also agreed on military service reform. It is planned that all 18-year-old citizens of the country will receive a questionnaire to determine their motivation and suitability for service. All young people born after January 1, 2008, will be required to undergo a medical examination.
Military service will remain voluntary. However, if the required number of volunteers is not reached, the country may introduce so-called military duty as needed, where candidates will be selected by lottery. A vote on this issue is scheduled for December.
