Macron Unveils 10-Month Voluntary Service to Bolster French Military Amid Rising Threats

On November 27, 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron formally announced the introduction of a new, remunerated 10-month Voluntary National Service. This initiative is specifically designed to enhance the capabilities of the nation's Armed Forces. The announcement was delivered during a speech given at the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade base, situated in Varces-Allières-et-Risset within the French Alps.

This strategic undertaking, slated to commence in the summer of 2026, represents a direct response to the escalating geopolitical climate. Specifically, it addresses concerns stemming from the threat posed by the Russian Federation and a broader reassessment of European defense models. President Macron was unequivocal: the program aims to forge stronger ties between the citizenry and the military, boost national resilience, and improve youth preparedness. He stressed that this is emphatically not a return to compulsory conscription, which was discontinued back in 1997.

The new framework primarily targets French citizens, both male and female, aged between 18 and 19 years old, although participation remains open to all adults. The structure involves an initial one-month period of general instruction. This foundational phase will cover essential training, including basic weapons handling and drill instruction. Following this, volunteers will dedicate nine months to service within national units, undertaking duties that mirror those currently performed by active military personnel.

Volunteers will be granted official military status, along with uniforms, necessary equipment, and a monthly stipend ranging from 900 to 1000 euros. The President made a crucial clarification: this service explicitly excludes the possibility of deploying participants to active overseas combat zones, such as the territory of Ukraine. This boundary is firmly set.

The overarching goal of this initiative is to significantly augment the reserve component of the French Armed Forces, which currently stands at approximately 200,000 active personnel. Initial recruitment for the summer of 2026 is projected to involve between 2,000 and 3,000 individuals. The long-term ambition is substantial: to achieve an annual intake of 50,000 volunteers by the year 2035. This aligns with the broader objective of increasing the total number of reservists to 100,000 by 2030, up from the current figure exceeding 40,000.

Furthermore, this development is contextualized within France's significant increase in defense spending. The defense budget is slated to reach 64 billion euros by 2027, effectively doubling the 32 billion euros allocated in 2017. This financial commitment underpins the new service structure.

This voluntary model is set to replace the less successful Universal National Service, which was launched in 2019 and subsequently criticized by the Court of Auditors for ambiguous objectives and cost overruns. Public discourse was recently stirred by comments from the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Fabien Mandon, regarding the necessity of being prepared to “accept the loss of one’s children” in a hypothetical high-intensity conflict. This prompted President Macron to clarify the nation's defense priorities. Nevertheless, the Élysée Palace noted that an Elabe poll indicated strong public support, with 73% of French citizens viewing the idea of a voluntary service favorably.

By adopting this voluntary approach, France joins other European nations, including Germany and Denmark, which are also recalibrating their defense strategies in light of the evolving international security architecture. President Macron reiterated that while he sees no immediate need to reinstate the draft, in truly exceptional crisis scenarios, Parliament would retain the authority to mandate conscription, though this would be limited only to those citizens who had previously expressed interest in the voluntary service.