Poll: Majority of French citizens unwilling to join army in case of attack

Only 17% of French citizens say they would be willing to join the armed forces if the country came under military attack, according to a new survey conducted by polling company Elabe for BFM.

The results show a clear reluctance among the majority of respondents: more than half said they would “definitely not” enlist, while a further 28% said they would “probably not.”

The survey also highlights differences across age groups. Willingness to serve is higher among younger respondents, with 29% of those aged 18–24 and 24% of those aged 25–34 expressing readiness to join the military in such a scenario.

A significant gender gap was also observed. While 26% of men said they would be prepared to serve, only 9% of women gave the same answer.

Political affiliation appears to influence attitudes as well. Among left-wing supporters, only around 12% expressed willingness to join the armed forces. The figure rises to approximately 25% among centrist and right-wing voters. Among supporters of the Rassemblement National, it stands at 19%, while it reaches 46% among supporters of Reconquête.

At the same time, willingness to participate in civil defence activities is significantly higher. Overall, 61% of respondents said they would be ready to assist with rescue operations, logistics, or civilian support in the event of a crisis.

Despite low readiness for military service, 60% of those surveyed believe France would be capable of defending itself in the event of an attack. Confidence is highest among supporters of the presidential camp and right-wing parties (around 75%), while it drops to 49% among nationalist voters.

The survey was conducted online on April 22–23, 2026, among a sample of 1,000 adult residents of France.