This week President Macron said the government is re-introducing compulsory national military service for young people in France.
He was bringing back his presidential campaign promise to make all young people spend a month getting “a direct experience of military life with its know-how and demands”.
The new national service would include a compulsory period of between three and six months for all young people, who would either take part in the military or in a form of civil service. However, confusion surrounds the issue as the Defence Minister Florence Parly said this week the proposal would “probably not be obligatory”.
The French media outlet Sudradio dubbed the situation a “burden” on the French president since he took office as until now no further action has been made, and a “cacophony where nobody in government is on the same page”.
The National Assembly is sceptical about plans due to its current vague form and expensive cost.
This comment prompted the French journalist Ivan Rioufol to write in Le Figaro the national service was simply a “victim of improvisation” and described the situation as a “circus”.
Mr Collomb has recently spoken out in favour of launching the conscription.
He said: “The National Service should of course be compulsory”.
Le Temps newspaper said: “Will Gerard Collomb’s remarks awaken this project that the Elysee let fall asleep quietly?”
The French publication said: “The presidential candidate had promised a compulsory and universal national service.
“But apart from the Interior Minister, nobody from the government wants it.”
The newspaper said that “socially, the idea makes sense” but said it did not carry much weight in a time of budget deficit and anger towards the government.
Le Temps newspaper said: “No one in France really wants to inherit this impossible mission.”
The ambitious president said that it would be a way to build social cohesion by bringing young people from all backgrounds together.
Opposition parties have criticised the move due to the costs of training so many young people.
However government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said: “It will be universal and it will be obligatory”.
The government plans to trial the programme in 2019. President Macron himself has not undergone military service as the conscription ended when he became an adult.