November 28, 2025 | 06:03 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced the creation of a new voluntary military service for young adults, set to begin by mid-2026.
The move is part of a wide shift across Europe, where NATO members that have long enjoyed decades of peace are anxious about US President Donald Trump's shifting priorities and Russia's aggressive posture.
What Did Macron Say About Voluntary Military Service?
"France cannot remain idle," Macron said in a speech to the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade in Varces, in the French Alps.
The French president said the plan was "inspired by practices of our European partners... at a time when all our European allies advance in response to a threat that weighs on us all."
The voluntary scheme is to be opened up to 18- and 19-year-olds, who would be paid, and would last 10 months. The costs would be some €2 billion ($2.32 billion), which Macron called "a significant and necessary effort."
It is hoped that 3,000 people would take part in the scheme in 2026, rising to 10,000 by 2030. The recruits will only ever serve on French soil.
Participants could integrate into civilian life after the period, become reservists, or remain in the military, Macron said. France aims to increase the number of reservists to 80,000 by 2030.
General Fabien Mandon, the country's armed forces chief, last week warned that the nation must prepare for potential future losses in the face of Russian aggression. He said France lacked "the strength of character to accept suffering in order to protect who we are," adding that the country must "accept losing its children."
His remarks triggered an uproar, and Macron moved quickly to downplay them.
He told RTL radio on Tuesday that France must "absolutely, immediately" push back against any suggestion it plans to send young people to Ukraine, referring to Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of its neighbor.
What Are Other Countries Doing?
The announcement puts France in line with nearly a dozen other European nations like Germany, which have launched similar schemes.
Germany has been seeking to draw in more enlistments through a new voluntary military service, a plan still awaiting parliamentary approval.
Belgium's defense minister sent letters this month to 17-year-olds urging them to consider military service next year, aiming to select 500 candidates aged 18 to 25 for a program starting in September.
Poland has begun rolling out a voluntary military training track and plans to train 100,000 volunteers per year starting in 2027 as it works to expand its reserve force. Officials said the country is not planning to restore universal conscription but is instead focused on a broader reserve model.
Ten EU nations currently maintain compulsory service — Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, and Sweden.
Norway, which is not an EU member, also requires military service for men and women.
Times range from two months in Croatia to as long as 19 months in Norway.
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