icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
29 Jun, 2018 15:37

Waste of cash & state propaganda: French slam Macron’s plan to bring back mandatory military service

Waste of cash & state propaganda: French slam Macron’s plan to bring back mandatory military service

The French aren’t embracing President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to reinstate national military service by the start of next year. Many have called the proposal a useless waste of money and even something that stinks of propaganda.

Macron has attempted to justify the proposal, saying that national service would promote patriotism and “social cohesion” among France’s youth. The plan, which has undergone a number of changes, will now see both boys and girls that have reached the age of 16 serve in the program divided into a voluntary and compulsory stage.

They’ll have to do a minimum one-month placement that could involve teaching, working with charities, and traditional military training with the police, fire service or army. The details of the scheme have not yet been finalized, sparking some confusion on what exactly will be compulsory, the exact length and the actual composition of the service.

While the Armed Forces Minister claims that the program would probably not be mandatory, a government spokesman described the service as “universal” and “obligatory”. Even before the plan was announced, at least 14 youth organizations objected to its ‘inconsistencies’ and said young people should be able to choose what they do on their own.

READ MORE: Mafia, alcoholics & illiterates: Macron’s view of the French mapped insult by insult

The cost of the program is estimated to be about €1.6 billion ($1.9bn) a year. And the majority of the French Twitterati think the money could be much better spent on other important issues.

User JJS claimed that his proposal was useless, repressive and costly.

OSB IV said that if you had a billion and you did not know what to do with it we have ideas: hospitals, schools


User jaiff considered this to be a waste of time, a loss of crazy money. The new world with old ideas.

On top of that, a lot of people on social media found this proposition an illogical and useless form of state propaganda.

Ihopes-lecture tweeted that this service seemed like a month of propaganda for our young people...

User Chatry said that the goal [of this military service]: To format the brains as soon as possible!

Valentin Balbinot tweeted: Hail Napoleon! He will bring back the stability, the greatness, and the value of justice, and above all, goodness! Stop your studies and walk in the footsteps of your ancestors! I'm depressed.


User sigismonde#soutien claimed this was like a colony during vacations

READ MORE: Trump asked Macron to quit EU for more profitable trade deal – WaPo report

Macron himself was never called up to serve in the army, as he came of age after compulsory service was phased out after 1996. He’s the first French president who’s never served.

If you like this story, share it with a friend!

Podcasts
0:00
26:13
0:00
24:57