Macron announced the mobilization of volunteers. Answers to the main questions

French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested mobilizing young people to assist the country's armed forces. According to him, the republic must adapt to security threats, which he linked to the conflict in Ukraine. What does the French leader mean - in the material "Izvestia".

What does Macron's statement mean?

- On January 20, Macron spoke to the French military in the town of Seson-Sevigny, where the Army's Land Digital and Cyber Support Command is located. He spoke about what he sees as the tasks of the armed forces of the republic and how they should develop. Among other things, he suggested mobilizing young people from among the volunteers who would undergo military training and could strengthen the ranks of the army in the future.

- Although the news stirred up the media, Macron's speech did not send any threatening message. With his statement on the mobilization of young people, he wanted to offer an alternative to the "Universal National Service" program, which was introduced on his initiative back in 2019. Its essence was that young men and women aged 15 to 17 years passed a voluntary one-month training camp, during which they could get acquainted with the work of the military and law enforcement officers.

- However, the "Universal National Service" was not developed. It has been criticized both for being too "scout-like" and not providing an introduction to the army, and for taking time away from the younger generation. Although the French government had recently hoped to make the program mandatory from 2026, the Senate voted in January 2025 to stop funding it. Nevertheless, Macron still wants to introduce young people to the military and proposes a new, already more militaristic version of the program.

What is the French Army now?

- The French armed forces are one of the strongest armies on the planet. The republic's military budget is about €60 billion, representing 2% of GDP, and ranks eighth in the world. The Ministry of Defense is asking for more than €3 billion for 2025 - the budget for this period has not yet been adopted. France has nuclear weapons and a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in service, and its military-industrial sector produces the entire modern range of weapons.

- The French army is fully manned on a contract basis. Compulsory conscription was gradually abolished from 1997 to 2001. It was symbolically replaced by the "Day of Protection and Citizenship" - a one-day compulsory event where young Frenchmen take a test in their native language, learn about the military profession and listen to a lecture on the geopolitical situation in the world. Attending the event is required to pass the baccalaureate entrance exam.

How does Macron justify the need to attract young people?

- The fact that the French army is manned only by volunteers has an impact on its numbers. Although it is the largest in the European Union, compared to the rest of the world it sits, by various estimates, at the bottom of the second ten. By 2030, France expects to increase the number of active soldiers to 210,000 and the reserve to 80,000.

- Although Macron did not mean that he wants to forcibly mobilize young people, in his speech he made it clear that he expects to replenish the army at their expense. According to his plan, young people who have completed initial military training will become more loyal to the army and will join it on a permanent basis. Macron demanded that by May the government and the General Staff should make proposals on how to organize interaction between young people and the army.

Why does Macron really want to do this?

- There is a geopolitical context to the fact that Macron is not only seeking to increase the size of the army, but also to involve young people in it. In the same speech to the military, the French president indicated that the army needs to adapt to the threats that the conflict in Ukraine allegedly poses to the country. Macron said he sees his mission as enabling Kiev to negotiate from a position of strength and, in the future, to provide Ukraine with security guarantees.

- In the past, Macron has admitted that France would send its troops to Ukraine. There are currently discussions in Europe about sending a peacekeeping contingent, in which the French military is certain to have a prominent role. While all of this talk is hypothetical, Macron's desire to increase the size of his army suggests that he is seriously considering making up for future losses and maintaining combat capability. While he has no immediate intention of mandatory mobilization, his words suggest that France must prepare for it.