The French government under President Emmanuel Macron is introducing national service for 16-year-olds across the country to “socially mix” youths and promote common values.
A pilot project is set to begin in the autumn of 2019 with a small sample group of 16-year-olds. By 2026, the programme will encompass every 16-year-old in the country, totalling some 700,000 young people, Le Telegramme reports.
The programme was originally mooted during the election campaign and revived in a watered-down version — without actual military service requirement — in June 2018. The latest comments from Macron’s government amid a major reshuffle suggests the project actually going ahead could be closer than ever.
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