Overview
- President Emmanuel Macron set a phased rollout for France’s new voluntary service, starting with about 3,000 participants in summer 2026, growing to 10,000 by 2030 and 50,000 annually by 2035.
- The French scheme lasts 10 months with one month of initial training followed by nine months in units, is confined to national territory, and volunteers will be housed and paid, with reports citing at least €800 per month.
- Macron paired the plan with €6.5 billion in extra defense spending over the next two years and a goal of €64 billion in annual defense outlays by 2027.
- Italy’s defense minister Guido Crosetto said he will present a draft bill to the cabinet and Parliament for a voluntary model focused on a reserve of roughly 10,000 personnel for crises, disasters and support roles.
- Germany is advancing its own reforms by registering and assessing 18-year-olds to expand volunteer ranks, while debates in France and Italy continue after senior officers’ warnings and government assurances about non-deployment abroad in peacetime.