Macron Rules Out Mandatory Military Service, but Considers Ways to ‘Mobilize Civilians’

French President Emmanuel Macron said he will not bring back mandatory military service but is looking for ways to involve civilians in national defense. He plans to announce new measures in the coming weeks, AFP reported, citing French regional newspapers.

In comments recorded Friday and published Saturday, Macron said that reinstating compulsory military service, which ended in 2001, is “not a realistic option” because France no longer has the necessary “logistics” to support it.

Instead, he said, “We are going to look at ways to mobilize civilians,” adding that he wants to strengthen the “mobilization of society in the face of crises.”

Many European countries, including France, are discussing military service as concerns grow over NATO’s strength, especially after US President Donald Trump said Europe should handle its own security. A recent poll found that 61% of French citizens support some form of mandatory service.

Macron previously proposed a month-long compulsory service in 2017, but the idea received a “cool response” from the army. Now, he has asked the government and the army to present proposals by May on how to encourage young people to “back up the armed forces” in case of need.

Former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe has suggested creating “a voluntary military service” to train at least 50,000 people per year. Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu has proposed strengthening the military reserve to 100,000 members.

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Macron’s upcoming announcement will provide details on how France plans to strengthen national security without bringing back conscription.