Mandatory militarised civic service for youths in France aged 16-25 starts this autumn

A new, militarised, version of France’s Journée de défense et de citoyenneté will become mandatory from September for all French nationals - and some foreign residents - aged 16 to 25 as part of government efforts to link youth engagement to military preparedness.

The new format of the Journée de défense et de citoyenneté (JDC or Defence and citizenship day) will roll out progressively across mainland France this autumn, followed by the overseas territories in 2026, according to the Direction du service national et de la jeunesse (DSNJ). 

The JDC is a legal obligation for all young French citizens - including those living abroad - and remains a prerequisite for sitting the baccalauréat, applying for certain public jobs, or obtaining a driving licence. 

It does not apply automatically to foreign residents of France (including UK or US citizens) or those with dual nationality (who can opt out depending on their nationality), but may be required of some, especially those applying for naturalisation or in formal education.

Originally created under President Chirac in 1998 as the Journée d’appel de préparation à la défense (JAPD), the JDC replaced compulsory military service and has existed in its current form since 2011. 

The updated version introduces, for the first time, an “assumed pathway” to both military and reserve recruitment, the Ministry for the Armed Forces has confirmed.

‘Laser shooting games’

“The aim is to be very explicit about the key moments of the day,” said General Pierre-Joseph Givre, head of the DSNJ.

The programme now includes laser shooting to “highlight the stakes of bearing arms and their secure handling,” tactical simulation games based on crisis or war scenarios, and a meal eaten from combat rations. 

Each session will begin with a flag-raising ceremony and the singing of La Marseillaise, followed by the reading of the charte des droits et devoirs du citoyen français.

Scenarios used during the day will name potential adversaries and competitors - including jihadist groups, Russia, Iran and North Korea - while also referencing NATO, the UN and the EU. 

A virtual reality module will introduce participants to military professions. 

The JDC will continue to serve its educational and diagnostic role: around 5% of attendees are typically identified as functionally illiterate, with 12% showing reading difficulties.

General Givre added that the data collected will feed into a new dual-purpose “passeport défense”, giving each young person an assessment of their potential and aptitudes in both civilian and military contexts. 

The aim is to retain links with participants over time, using a new online platform (Défense+) that will certify their participation.

This evolution reflects wider concerns about geopolitical instability, falling birth rates, and the future size of the French armed forces. 

The armed services currently aim to increase the number of reservists from 47,000 to 80,000 by 2030. 

According to Givre, France must now anticipate the possibility of high-intensity conflict with military powers and identify long-term human resource reserves accordingly.

The session will end with a formal ‘au revoir républicain’ and the presentation of a

Bleuet de France, the remembrance symbol worn by all civilian and military authorities at official ceremonies since 2023

.