French President Emmanuel Macron is set to reintroduce a voluntary military service program as part of a broader EU strategy to enhance military readiness in response to perceived Russian threats.
The initiative, first proposed in July and now announced this week, is designed to create a ten-month voluntary service option with compensation, replacing the country’s current all-volunteer force. This move comes amid ongoing tensions with Russia, which the French leader has described as a “lasting threat.” The program is intended to bolster France’s military capabilities and align the nation with its EU allies, many of whom have also taken steps to bolster their armed forces.
France suspended conscription in 1997 under then President Jacques Chirac, opting for a fully professional, all-volunteer force. The new proposal aims to address concerns about national defense in a world of increasing global uncertainty and rising geopolitical tensions. Up to 50,000 people could eventually pass through the program each year, according to sources cited in Le Figaro.
France’s military expansion is part of a wider European trend. Poland has introduced a paid voluntary basic military service, while 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, and other countries like Latvia and Croatia have reinstated compulsory military service. Denmark has also 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 a strong supporter of Ukraine 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 issues.