Macron poised to reintroduce voluntary military service – Le Figaro

France needs “a strong army,” the president has said, citing an alleged Russian threat

French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to roll out a new voluntary military service scheme this week, according to Le Figaro. The proposal was first floated by the French leader in July in response to what he described as a “lasting threat” from Russia – something Moscow has dismissed as nonsense.

The newspaper reported the plan is for a ten-month voluntary service option with compensation, without providing further details on how it would differ from current military service. France suspended conscription in 1997 under then President Jacques Chirac, opting for a fully professional, all-volunteer force.

“In a world of uncertainty and rising tensions… France must continue to be a strong nation with a strong army,” Macron said on Saturday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in South Africa.

Up to 50,000 people could eventually pass through the program each year, Le Figaro wrote, citing government sources.

France’s effort to expand its armed forces follows similar moves by other EU states since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

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Poland has rolled out a paid voluntary basic military service. Germany has approved a new military-service model that could shift to selective conscription if volunteer numbers fall short. The Netherlands is engaged in a public debate over potential reintroduction of the draft. Other countries like Latvia and Croatia have reinstated compulsory military service, while Denmark has expanded the draft to include women.

General Fabien Mandon, chief of staff of the armed forces, recently argued that France should not ignore this broader European trend, noting that several of its neighbors are “in the process of reintroducing a national service.”

France has been among the strongest backers of Kiev since the conflict with Russia began, providing weapons, training, and political support.

Russia has condemned what it calls the EU’s “reckless militarization,” describing increased defense spending in the bloc as a distraction from internal woes.