The objective of the service is to “promote engagement of young people in the nation’s life, to value citizenship and reinforce social cohesion”.

During the first mandatory phase, teenagers will live collectively, ‘enabling them to create new relationships and to develop their cultural engagement as well as their role in society’, the government announced.

The second voluntary phase will last at least three months and up to a year. Young French people will be encouraged to serve “in an area linked to defence and security, as well as the environment, heritage preservation or social care,” the French education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer told the press on Wednesday.

National service is expected to be implemented progressively starting in 2019.

Last year we reported that Sweden had announced the reintroduction of compulsory military service, as part of aims to rebuild national defences amid rising tensions in the region.

Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist told a news conference said:

“I hope that we are going to find a path to a more stable, robust and functional means of recruitment.”

The new policy will affect Swedes born after 1999, according to a report by a former member of parliament for the defence ministry. Around 4,000 young Swedes are expected to be called up. The new model will be a lighter version of Sweden’s former conscription system. This time only a few thousand people from each year group will be drafted into compulsory service. People will still, as is the current system, be able to volunteer for military service.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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Alex
Alex
5 years ago

Something this country should have done a long time ago

Tom
Tom
5 years ago
Reply to  Alex

Did you do mandatory military service?

Andy G
Andy G
5 years ago
Reply to  Tom

lol

Steven
Steven
5 years ago

I’m sure France’s ISIS loving population will embrace the chance to get military training and access to firearms and explosives. How long before they suffer a Fort Hood type attack ?

Evan P
Evan P
5 years ago
Reply to  Steven

Twat.

Jonthan
Jonthan
5 years ago
Reply to  Evan P

Concise

andyreeves
andyreeves
5 years ago
Reply to  Steven

if they did it in the u.k, it might signal the end of the ‘hoodie’

David Steeper
5 years ago
Reply to  andyreeves

Or wreck the armed forces ?

Big Al
Big Al
5 years ago
Reply to  Steven

Yeah right. France has the highest gun ownership per head of population in the EU and is ranked 8th in the world. The UK is ranked 82nd.
Still low compared to the US though.

Steve M
Steve M
5 years ago

Do British courts still offer military service to people instead of jail time?

andyreeves
andyreeves
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve M

no, its no longer on the statute.

Elliott
Elliott
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve M

Really? The US got rid of it in the 90s draw down. But never removed the power from the DOD to reimpose it in War time.

Bill Kenny
Bill Kenny
5 years ago

Sorry but the headline to this article is misleading, the ‘Service National Universel’ applies to 16 year olds in France starting in 2019. This will represent one month working either in charities, or teaching or with the Police, Fire Service or Military etc. There is a voluntary follow on period for those who wish to continue their involvement. This is definitely not a National Service (conscription) in the UK understanding of the term.

Tim Bowler
Tim Bowler
5 years ago
Reply to  Bill Kenny

indeed, as far as France goes, the headline is definitely a misnomer.

Paul T
Paul T
5 years ago

Sounds like a reasonable idea to me,would like to see in the future if it was successful.

andyreeves
andyreeves
5 years ago
Reply to  Paul T

it might help crewing problems in the R.N

Mr Bell
Mr Bell
5 years ago

France can do all they like- why not get a standing army of 4.5 million men through conscription and national service while they are at it? oh wait they did that before……….and still got beaten. Tee Hee just jesting, could not resist the poke at the French.

Tim Bowler
Tim Bowler
5 years ago
Reply to  Mr Bell

Idiot

chaz
chaz
5 years ago

Seems like it’s got some potential to get young people from different cultures mixing, far too much self segregation along religious and racial lines going on all over Europe which is very unhealthy for all of us.

Stephen
Stephen
5 years ago
Reply to  chaz

Yet also very natural, we don’t live in some airy fairy dream world, this is why European countries should not be swamped with Africans and Asians. We in Britain are already over 20% non White British, and still letting more in. Do you see China, Korea, Turkey, Pakistan, Japan, etc. doing this? A few and no one would have been bothered but it has went too far, we have to draw the line somewhere. What are we going to do just keep letting more in until we are outnumbered in our own country?

Lee1
Lee1
5 years ago
Reply to  Stephen

Perhaps we should throw everyone out that does not directly descend from pure old world Celts? After all everyone else is technically foreign…

Jonathan
Jonathan
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee1

Even the celts migrated in

Evan P
Evan P
5 years ago
Reply to  Stephen

Oh, shut up with your “IT’S MYYYY COUNTRY!” If they contribute, who cares?

Tim Bowler
Tim Bowler
5 years ago
Reply to  Evan P

@Evan P
Absolutely.
Where you come from is irrelevant, it’s who you are that counts.
best Tim

andyreeves
andyreeves
5 years ago
Reply to  chaz

sounds a bit too P.C for me the thought police shouldn’t be allowed near the forces

andyreeves
andyreeves
5 years ago

just kids.

David E Flandry
David E Flandry
5 years ago

A former senior general said something like, “National Service may have been great for the country, but it damn near ruined the army.”

Elliott
Elliott
5 years ago

How so? I have never understood this divisiveness of conscript and reserve/guard armies. When every major Military and most of the minor ones in WWI and WWII engaged in the practice. Fully professional armies look good on paper but often prove themselves incapable of sustained operations in wartime.
As long as you have a backbone of professional NCOs and Officers their is very little difference in performance. Issues of training and discipline only begin to occur when you deprive those types of Armies of their experienced cadres of senior NCOs and Officers.

Elliott
Elliott
5 years ago

That should be derisiveness.

Liam
Liam
5 years ago

Living in France I have to say that the country is less segregated in the smaller towns and cities than in the UK. I lived in Oldham and Rochdale and they compare badly to similar places in France. That’s not to say there is not significant segregation in French cities, there is,and it is a problem.

Steve M
Steve M
5 years ago

That’s still what, 13 million people? I think we’re fine.

Jonathan
Jonathan
5 years ago

Well that’s not bad if you considered the demographic spread, a good portion of people in britian will be:
1) children
2) Mums
3) a bit old and crumbly

So actually 20% is good.

Jonathan
Jonathan
5 years ago

In my personal view everyone should be given the opportunity to support our society, this should include anyone of working age who is not employed elsewhere.

mark
mark
5 years ago

So much for FREEDOM.