Fears of Russian aggression will see France re-introduce national military service. 

Nearly three decades since conscription was scrapped, the plan will see young men and women volunteering for a 10-month military service.  

The new “national service” will focus mostly on 18- and 19-year-olds, and will initially be restricted to 3,000 volunteers, which should rise to 50,000 by 2035.  

France Correspondent Catherine Field told Andrew Dickens the Government has made it clear the service would only be carried out on French soil, and these will not be soldiers sent off to do duty for NATO and other countries. 

She says they’re hoping to perhaps tap into some of the skills young people have that aren’t as common in the armed forces, such as drone operators, counterterrorism surveillance, and even bakers, mechanics, and electricians. 

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