Overview
- Initial intake of about 3,000 volunteers begins next summer, rising to 10,000 annually by 2030 with an ambition of 50,000 by 2035.
- The scheme targets mainly 18- and 19-year-olds for one month of training followed by nine months embedded with units, with military status and reported pay of roughly €900–€1,000 per month.
- Service is confined to French territory and overseas departments, with no deployment to foreign operations such as Ukraine.
- Macron said national service remains voluntary, though parliament could authorize limited compulsory call-ups in a major crisis; the process will be selective, with applications set to open in January.
- Roughly €2 billion is budgeted for the program within broader defense plans that add €6.5 billion over two years and target €64 billion in annual spending by 2027, with goals to expand the reserve force toward 80,000–100,000 by 2030 as reported.