France launches new voluntary military service in Orange

President Emmanuel Macron has officially launched France's new national voluntary military service, meeting with the first cohort of recruits at Air Base 115 in Orange. The first promotion has been named after Henri Fertet, a French Resistance fighter who was executed by German forces at age 16 in 1943.

Replacing the previous Universal National Service (SNU), this new program is designed to strengthen the link between the nation and its armed forces amid heightened European security threats. Unlike the previous mandatory service abolished in 1997, this program is strictly voluntary for men and women aged 18 to 25. Recruits undergo ten months of training, including one month of initial instruction and nine months of service within the Army, Navy, or Air and Space Force. Participants receive a monthly stipend of 800 euros.

The program aims for significant growth, starting with 3,000 volunteers this year, with targets of 10,000 by 2030 and up to 50,000 by 2035. A dedicated budget of 2.3 billion euros has been allocated through the military programming law to support this expansion and the necessary infrastructure.