French

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France since 2017. ''Ex officio'', he is also one of the two Co-Princes of Andorra. Prior to his presidency, Macron served as Minister of Econ ...

implemented the Service national universel (SNU), the General National Service, which will be optional for all male and female citizens aged 16 to 25 starting in 2021. This voluntary service lasts for a month and can be performed in both civil and military facilities. The aim of this civil conscription service is to convey French values, to strengthen social cohesion and to promote social engagement. As is emphasized, it is not a matter of reintroducing conscription. This service will finally replace the mandatory '' Journée Défense et Citoyenneté (JDC)'', the "Defence and Citizenship Day", that was established in 1998, after suspending

conscription Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...

for the

military service Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job (volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription). Some nations (e.g., Mexico) require a ...

Voluntary program

The basis of this voluntary service is to "increase the cohesion of the nation". For financial reasons, the service lasts one month only and is not compulsory. The draftees must wear uniform-like clothing, they have to hand over their mobile phones to their supervisors and are placed in collective accommodations far away from their home community. Half of the service is performed with civics and theoretical training. The daily routine follows a strict schedule: in the morning the anthem is sung at the flag roll call, and afterwards courses must be attended, such as a first aid course, an introduction to the written driver's license test, and learning rules of conduct in the event of a terrorist attack. The other half of the time has to be fulfilled with assignment in a non-profit organization, the

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

, the

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

, or a

fire department A fire department (American English) or fire brigade (Commonwealth English), also known as a fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression se ...

Full implementation

From 2021 until full implementation in 2026, the SNU may become mandatory for all young citizens, although this possibility is currently denied by Macron. The completion of the SNU could become the prerequisite for getting the French Baccalauréat, the university-entrance diploma, and driving license examination.

References

{{Reflist Military history of France

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Voluntary program

Full implementation

See also

References