French military chief discusses potential for loss of life to deter Russia

French armed forces chief, General Fabien Mandon, has sparked controversy by stating that France must have the strength to “accept losing its children” to effectively deter Russia.

As Europe prepares for potential prolonged confrontation with Russia, the debate over compulsory military service has resurfaced in France. An IFOP survey indicates that while 64% of all French respondents support compulsory service for those aged 18 to 25, support drops to 40% among the youth demographic actually affected. Conversely, support is significantly higher among older generations, reaching 80% for those aged 50 to 64.

President Emmanuel Macron has initiated a voluntary national service program. The program currently includes 3,000 young people, with objectives to expand to 10,000 annually and potentially reach 50,000 by 2035. Participants receive military training and €800 per month. The French government maintains that the current program is voluntary and that recruits are not intended for deployment abroad.