The effort is aimed at young people and came after an army chief angered many by saying the country must accept the possible loss of children in a future war.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that volunteers aged 18 and 19 will start serving next year in a 10-month new military service program as France seeks to bolster its armed forces to address growing threats.

France is creating a paid, voluntary military service for young people 18- to 25-year-olds and aims to enroll up to 50,000 of them over the next decade, Macron said.