France and Germany are to bring back military service to bolster national defence, part of a historic reversal of decades of gradual reduction in armed forces since the end of the Cold War. The programmes typically recruit young people as they finish school and put them through basic military training. France’s president Emmanuel Macron unveils plans for a new national military service. Currently, Germany’s Bundeswehr has around 182,000 troops, a significant drop in size since Germany ended compulsory conscription in 2011. The issue is more contentious in Germany and the government decided to pursue voluntary rather than compulsory military service after a bitter debate.

Source: The Irish Times November 28, 2025 16:35 UTC