On the streets of Paris, reactions were mixed on Thursday as President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a voluntary military service plan overhauling a pre-existing scheme to allow France to better respond to a more unstable geopolitical outlook including possible threats from Russia.

“My ancestors fought for this country, that’s why I live here,” said Mehdi Oubaidallah, a 17-year-old high school student. “If we were suddenly faced with having to go to war, I would go.”

Others were more cautious. Walid Sab, 35, who works in tourism, said the idea should have been part of French culture long ago.

“We need people to defend France, that’s for sure,” he said. “But I don’t think there will be many volunteers just like that. If there’s a real war, people will step up, but right now, I don’t think so.”

Corinne, a 62-year-old pensioner from the Jura region, welcomed the plan as a way to keep young people engaged.

“Rather than hanging around in the streets doing nothing, I think it’s better,” she said, though she doubted war was imminent. “I think the leaders will do something before it reaches our shores.”

Kelian Piroux, a tourist from Ain, near Lyon, said voluntary service could instill values.

“Since it’s voluntary, nobody’s forced to do it,” he said. “For those who want to help, it can be a way.”

Olivier Rindzunski, 58, an insurance worker, saw the move as a response to rising threats.

“The end of conscription came when the external threat was diminishing. Now the threat has increased, so we realise we must rearm,” he said, while warning that training modern soldiers takes “time and money.”

Not everyone agreed with Macron’s voluntary approach. "That’s a mistake. It has to be mandatory. If it’s voluntary, everyone will say no,”Jean-Claude Gabriel, an 89-year-old veteran who served three years in Algeria, said.

Macron’s plan will overhaul the Service National Universel, a youth scheme that has struggled to attract interest, and aims to boost reservist numbers to 100,000 by 2030. The president has ruled out reinstating compulsory service, scrapped in 1996.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 27, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET IN THE RAIN

2. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 17 YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, MEHDI OUBAIDALLAH, SAYING:

"My ancestors fought for this country, that's why I live here. They went to war, we must make them proud. And frankly, if it came to... If we were suddenly faced with having to go to war, I would go."

3. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 35 YEAR-OLD PARISIAN WHO WORKS IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, WALID SAB, SAYING:

"But then, of course, we need people to defend France, that's for sure. Tomorrow, if there's a war, people will have to defend France, that's certain. But in that case, this should have been ingrained in people's mindset a long time ago, not something that was suddenly imposed on them."

4. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 62 YEAR-OLD PENSIONER FROM THE JURA REGION, CORINNE (NO SURNAME GIVEN),SAYING:

"Personally, I think it's a good thing. Yes, because rather than young people just hanging around in the streets doing nothing, I think it's better. Then again, I don't know what they think."

5. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 35 YEAR-OLD PARISIAN WHO WORKS IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, WALID SAB, SAYING:

"I don't think there will be many volunteers just like that. Later, if something happens tomorrow, a real war against another country, I think that's when people will step up, but right now, just like that, to jump in, I don't think so. I don't think people will be motivated to do their voluntary military service."

6. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 62 YEAR-OLD PENSIONER FROM THE JURA REGION, CORINNE (NO SURNAME GIVEN), SAYING:

"We're so complacent, maybe we're used to it, that we don't see the war coming. I don't see it coming. Maybe some people see it more than we do, I don't know. I don't think so, because I think the leaders, and all that, they'll do something before it reaches our shores, I think."

7. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH TOURIST FROM AIN REGION NEAR LYON, KELIAN PIROUX, SAYING:

"Yeah, I think it's pretty good actually. Plus, since it's voluntary, nobody's forced to do it. Those who don't want to or don't feel up to it, that's fine. And for those who do want to, those who feel ready to help in some way, it can be a way to do it. Personally, I think it's pretty good."

8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 58 YEAR-OLD PARISIAN INSURANCE WORKER, OLIVIER RINDZUNSKI, SAYING:

"In fact, it's a rather interesting position, I think, insofar as the end of conscription was implemented at a very specific moment, when the external threat was diminishing. Now, however, we realise that the threat has increased, so finding ourselves in the position we were in before, namely, trying to reap the benefits of peace, is no longer viable, so we realise we must rearm."

9. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH TOURIST FROM AIN REGION NEAR LYON, KELIAN PIROUX, SAYING:

"I could have done it (voluntary military service), yeah, I think so. Yeah, I couldn't say why, but I think it's important; it can bring out values that we don't really manifest naturally have in France. Now, I'm not saying it's necessarily something easy, I'm not saying I'd manage to see it through to the end either, but in any case, trying it, why not, it's something to think about. Yeah, it deserves to be considered."

10. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 58 YEAR-OLD PARISIAN INSURANCE WORKER, OLIVIER RINDZUNSKI, SAYING:

"The idea of a voluntary service for young people is quite interesting, but we know that training a soldier capable of fighting in today's world, that is, with highly sophisticated weapons, takes time and money. So I think it's a first step, but in reality, we should increase the army's budget and develop other types of weaponry rather than necessarily relying on young people who may not be the most suitable for the task."

11. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 89 YEAR-OLD FRENCH ARMY VETERAN WHO SERVED AS A CONSCRIPT FOR THREE YEARS IN ALGERIA, JEAN-CLAUDE GABRIEL, SAYING:

"Ah, that's a mistake, it (military service) has to be mandatory. Well, it's better this way. Because everyone will say no, they don't want to do it, they don't want to bother with it. But if it's mandatory, like it used to be for us, well, there you go, that's all. They do their service, it's normal that they do a year, it's normal to do that for their country."

12. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN STREET