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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
National
RFI

France launches recruitment for 10-month voluntary national military service

France Emmanuel Macron Catherine Vautrin Fabien Mandon United States
hief of Staff of the French Navy Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces Fabien Mandon, France's Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin, Chief of the French Army General Pierre Schill and Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force Jerome Bellanger give a press conference to launch the national recruitment campaign for a new national military service in Paris on 12 January 2026. AFP - THOMAS SAMSON

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.

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