France, Jan. 12 -- First announced in November 2025 by President Emmanuel Macron, the scheme is aimed at bolstering the country's armed forces at a time of heightened security concerns across Europe.

Speaking at a press conference in Paris this Monday, the chief of staff of the armed forces, Fabien Mandon, said the programme was open to all French citizens aged 18 to 25 who are keen "to play a part in the nation's capacity to resist in an uncertain environment".

From September, around 3,000 volunteers will join the army, navy or air and space force for missions carried out exclusively on French soil.

Numbers are expected to rise to 4,000 in 2027 and to 10,000 a year by 2030, with a longer-term ambition of reaching 42,500 annual partici...