Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu wants to “modernize” the census. He wants to identify the skills of “volunteer” citizens likely to strengthen the reserve.
The current Defense and Citizenship Day (JCD) “misses its target,” he says. President Emmanuel Macron aims to double the number of reservists, currently 40,000, who come to support the more than 200,000 soldiers of the French army. The minister's wish is to make a real census of skills, not only for an age group, around 16 years, but above all for “the digital age,’ he says in an interview with L’Inquirir, France’s national radio station, on Friday at 9 p.m. local time (9 a.m., ET) The full interview can be heard on L'Inquiry, France's national radio channel, on Thursday at 10 p. m. ET. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here.