French president launches new military program for 18- and 19-year-old volunteers
VARCES, FRANCE - President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced a new program designed to strengthen France’s armed forces by training thousands of 18- and 19-year-old volunteers starting next year, a move framed as part of a broader response to perceived threats from Russia in Europe. The volunteers will serve in uniform for 10 months within France’s mainland and overseas territories, but they will not be deployed in military operations abroad, Macron said during a speech at the Varces military base in the French Alps.
The program will begin next summer with 3,000 selected participants and gradually expand to 10,000 annually by 2030, with ambitions to reach 50,000 per year by 2035, depending on global security conditions. Volunteers will receive military status, training, wages, and equipment. After one month of basic instruction, they will join a unit for nine months, performing missions similar to active-duty personnel. Upon completion, they will enter the military reserve while continuing their education or starting civilian careers. Those who wish can pursue a professional military path, though full conscription is not being considered, except under exceptional circumstances where Parliament may mandate service based on skills identified during a one-day defense course.
Retired Gen. Jean-Paul Paloméros, former head of the French Air Force, acknowledged that training young volunteers could strain military resources but said the initiative is important for preparing France for future threats. Macron emphasized the program’s role in ensuring that younger generations understand the value of freedom and peace.
The announcement comes amid heightened concern over Russia’s actions in Ukraine and broader European security. France’s new army chief of staff, Gen. Fabien Mandon, has warned of potential future conflict with Russia and the need to prepare the nation’s armed forces accordingly. In line with these concerns, Macron also unveiled 6.5 billion euros in additional military spending over the next two years, with a goal of reaching 64 billion euros in annual defense spending by 2027. Part of the expanded budget will support the new national service program, while France aims to increase its reservist force from 40,000 to 80,000 by 2030.
France is part of a broader European trend of bolstering military capabilities. Germany is seeking to attract more recruits through voluntary service, Belgium plans to select hundreds of young volunteers for a new program, and Poland is rolling out voluntary military training with an eye toward 100,000 participants annually by 2027. Across Europe, ten countries maintain compulsory military service, with lengths ranging from two months to 19 months in Norway, which is not an EU member.
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