French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that volunteers aged 18 and 19 will start serving next year in a 10-month new military service program as France seeks to bolster its armed forces to address growing threats.
"A new national service is set to be gradually established, starting from next summer," Macron said in a speech at the Varces military base, in the French Alps.
Young volunteers will serve in France's mainland and oversea territories only, not in France's military operations abroad, Macron said.
France is not considering restoring conscription, which ended in the country in 1996.
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