Overview
- An initial cohort of 3,000 volunteers will start in summer 2026, with targets of 10,000 in 2030 and 50,000 annually by 2035.
- Candidates will be selected by the armed forces, complete one month of basic training, then serve nine months in units exclusively on French territory.
- Volunteers will hold military status, wear a uniform, receive at least €800 per month, and be housed, fed and equipped.
- After service, participants will enter the reserves, and officials stressed the scheme does not send young people to Ukraine; Parliament could broaden mobilization only in a major crisis.
- The program replaces the SNU and is financed under the 2026–2030 military programming law with a budget top-up of more than €2 billion, with applications opening in mid-January 2026 and a phased build-out of infrastructure.