A sudden increase in the number of reservists in France “enjoys and worries” the army

In 2024, 17,000 French and Frenchmen joined the ranks of the French army, this year 12,000 new reservists were recorded by March. “The sudden increase in the number of reservists enjoys and at the same time worries the army” – wrote the daily “Le Monde”.

“The sudden increase in the number of reservists in France enjoys and at the same time worries the army, because the difficult budget situation in the country means that resources may not be enough for some volunteers” – wrote the daily “Le Monde” on Monday.

In 2024, about 17,000 French and Frenchmen joined the ranks of army reserves. This year, 12,000 new reservists have already been recorded until March. According to “Le Monde”, this growth is partly the result of growing tensions and conflicts in the world. In France Reservoirs devote between 10 and 120 days a year of service, and it can be performed by all citizens aged 17 to 72.

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou during his April speech, he noted that the budget for 2026 will include an additional EUR 3 billion per army. The daily, however, pointed out that this amount is already provided for as part of the budget forecasts of the army, not an additional financial injection.

The method of remuneration of volunteers is the biggest problem of the French army

In the middle of last year, the Haute Comite D'EValuation de la Condition Militaire – HCEM), the institution responsible for informing the authorities of executive and legislative power on the situation in the ranks of the army, warned the institution responsible for informing the authorities of the executive and legislative authority, warned that it was necessary to increase the expenditure on reservists.

The army's budget program for 2024-2030 provided for 2025 EUR 220 million for reservists and there were very cautious assumptions, especially since the same document provides that by 2030 the state of reserves would be 80,000. This means increasing almost twice the number of reservists, of which there are currently 45,000.

The newspaper explained that increasing the number of reservists is part of a wider strategy for remodeling the French army to prepare it for a potential conflict. The method of using reserves is modeled on the model used by the countries of the eastern flank NATOamong others Poland. “Le Monde” noted that this requires a lot of organizational and financial effort from the armed forces.

The biggest problem is currently the method of rewarding volunteers. For example, for a return of expenses for a trip from his place of residence to the training center, the reservist expects about 71 days.

If the army wants to rejuvenate its reserves, he must change the system of accounting for volunteers, because – as the party politician Rebirth Thomas Gassilloud noted – “students rarely have a sum of the sums that allow them to pay for their journey.”

Another problem is to include new adepts in the structure of the armed forces. This is not easy because they are mostly inexperienced and must have a guaranteed training path. The air force has a fairly bright program, in which they train their reserves, but the greatest burden falls on the land forces that accept the most reservists. Until 2030, it is to be 49,000 people.

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