France has officially launched a new voluntary national military service, opening the door for thousands of young people to sign up for a 10-month, paid stint in uniform, with the first intake set to begin in September.
First announced in November 2025 by President Emmanuel Macron, the scheme is aimed at bolstering the country’s armed forces at a time of heightened security concerns across Europe.
Speaking at a press conference in Paris this Monday, the chief of staff of the armed forces, Fabien Mandon, said the programme was open to all French citizens aged 18 to 25 who are keen “to play a part in the nation’s capacity to resist in an uncertain environment”.
From September, around 3,000 volunteers will join the army, navy or air and space force for missions carried out exclusively on French soil.
Numbers are expected to rise to 4,000 in 2027 and to 10,000 a year by 2030, with a longer-term ambition of reaching 42,500 annual participants by 2035.
Combined with existing voluntary military service schemes and their overseas equivalents, that would bring the total to around 50,000 young people a year serving in uniform.
Legacy of conscription shapes France's new version of military service
Counter-terrorism to drone operations
The service will last 10 months, beginning with an initial month of training followed by nine months in operational roles.
Tasks will range from helping out during natural disasters and providing support for counter-terrorism surveillance to more specialised jobs such as drone operation, mechanics, electrical work, baking or medical support.
Volunteers will be paid at least €800 a month and will receive accommodation, food and equipment.
The armed forces plan to begin selecting recruits as early as this month and around 80 per cent of those accepted will be 18- or 19-year-olds, for whom the service is intended to function as a kind of structured gap year before higher education.
This experience will be recognised within France's Parcoursup university admissions system.
The remaining recruits, aged up to 25, will be chosen for specific skills and qualifications – including engineers, nurses and translators.
Macron unveils voluntary military service as concerns grow over Russia
Budget constraints
Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin said the programme reflected the “long-term evolution of the army towards a hybrid model”.
At the end of the 10 months, participants will be free to return to civilian life, join the military reserves or continue on a full-time career in the armed forces.
The gradual rollout is partly driven by budgetary constraints, as the scheme is expected to cost around €150 million in 2026, with total spending of roughly €2.3 billion between 2026 and 2030.
The launch also marks a quiet end to the universal national service (SNU), a flagship Macron pledge from his 2017 presidential campaign aimed at fostering national cohesion among 15- to 17-year-olds.
Introduced in 2019, the SNU was never fully rolled out and is now seen by the Elysée Palace as ill-suited to the strategic landscape reshaped by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
While France has not had compulsory military service since 2001, the new voluntary scheme underlines a broader shift across Europe, where governments are reassessing defence needs amid worries about Russia’s position and uncertainty over long-standing US security guarantees.
(with newswires)
