Constance, a second-year Sorbonne law student, completed a two-week initiation into the French military reserves to learn basic skills and teamwork. More than two decades after conscription ended, applications for the reserves have surged, raising operational reservists from 28,000 in 2014 to over 46,000 today. The army has absorbed over half of the recruits, with the navy and air force sharing the remainder. The government plans to grow reservist numbers to 105,000 by 2035 and to increase defense spending to €64 billion by 2027. Rising concerns about an assertive Russia and doubts about U.S. commitment underpin the expansion.
Law school did not teach Constance how to march, identify radio call signs or lie belly down on warm concrete, pointing her rifle at an imaginary enemy. Instead, the Sorbonne University student got her military primer from a Paris-area regiment, during the summer break. "I think it's really important to protect our country especially in the very complicated context we're going through," said the second-year law student of her two-week initiation into the military reserves.
More than two decades after France ended compulsory military service, tens of thousands of French are now applying for the reserves, hoping for a chance to serve their country, at least part time. The number of operational reservists has soared over the past decade, from just 28,000 in 2014, to more than 46,000 today. The army has absorbed more than half of them, with the rest roughly split between the navy and the air force.
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