PARIS — The French prime minister’s office hinted Friday that a revamped, optional military service is on the way.
While the plans stop short of conscription, the voluntary program will likely involve serious military training and is designed to pave the way to recruitment into the active armed forces or the reserves.
It comes as European countries, including Germany and Poland, grapple with recruitment issues while the continent braces for a potential war with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
In July, French President Emmanuel Macron said that France would come up with “a new framework to allow young people to serve.” While still at a preliminary stage, Friday’s announcement shows that work to make it happen is moving forward.
Amid a wider reshuffle of state organizations, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s office announced that a unit in charge of the controversial so-called universal national service will be scrapped, “in the context of the upcoming creation of voluntary military service.”
France created universal national service in 2019 — a month-long optional service for volunteers age 15-17 aimed at conveying French values.
The civilian program, where volunteers wear army-style uniforms, was seen as a first step toward military service — but those taking part get little actual military training.
The lack of participation in the program, as well as the need to recruit more people for the armed forces to fulfill NATO obligations and increase deterrence against Russia, triggered talks about reinstating voluntary military service.
There is currently no talk of reinstating conscription in France, which was ended by former President Jacques Chirac in 1997.
There is currently a different voluntary military service, but it’s oriented toward providing young people with skills for civilian employment, such as obtaining driving licenses.
France’s updated National Strategic Review, published in July, called for a revamp of that program so that it focuses more on defense and boosting military recruitment.
The post France eyes optional military service as Putin lurks appeared first on Politico.
