A limited form of military service will be re-introduced in France in response to growing fears of a confrontation with Russia.
More than 25 years after conscription was phased out, the plan will see young men and women volunteering for a paid 10 months of military training.
The only way to avoid danger is to prepare for it, President Emmanuel Macron said while announcing the plan at an infantry base near Grenoble in south-east France. We need to mobilise, mobilising the nation to defend itself, to be ready and remain respected.
The new national service will be brought in gradually from next summer, mainly for 18- and 19-year-olds, who will receive at least €800 (£700) a month.
Initially, numbers will be restricted to 3,000 next year, but this should rise to 50,000 by 2035.
French military chiefs are broadly in favour of the new measure, which they hope will create a reservoir of trained personnel able to back up professional soldiers and replace them in non-frontline tasks.
The threat of a looming, if ill-defined, stand-off with Russia has become part of France's national discourse. The government has regularly raised the alert over below-the-radar incidents or attempts by Moscow to poison opinion via social media.
Polls indicate widespread support for the voluntary service, with 73% in favor. However, opinions vary among different age groups, with younger people showing less enthusiasm.
This new measure will be viewed in the context of broader trends in Europe, where several countries are reintroducing forms of military service to bolster their capabilities amid geopolitical tensions.
