# France et conscription

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/france-et-conscription/393309>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 23, 2007, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/france-et-conscription/393309 "2007-02-23T01:33:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/france-et-conscription/393309/1 "2007-02-23T01:33:12Z")

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France abolished conscription in the late 90s, correct? Instead all French teenagers must now spend a day listing to Army presentations, correct? How does that work in practice? What does the day consist of (lectures, physical tests, etc)? What is the penalty for not taking part?

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**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/france-et-conscription/393309/2 "2007-02-23T06:18:54Z")

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Well, not being French I don’t know for sure, but what I remember hearing at the time was that teenagers now had to choose between doing their military service or some kind of civil service. I’m not certain what this entails though.

Here’s hoping one of our French dopers or dopers in France ( **clairobscur** , **Themenin** , **Severiane** , **Cat Jones** , someone?) can come and shed some light on this.

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**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2007, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/france-et-conscription/393309/3 "2007-02-24T22:58:48Z")

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[QUOTE=severus]  
Well, not being French I don’t know for sure, but what I remember hearing at the time was that teenagers now had to choose between doing their military service or some kind of civil service. I’m not certain what this entails though.

Here’s hoping one of our French dopers or dopers in France ( **clairobscur** , **Themenin** , **Severiane** , **Cat Jones** , someone?) can come and shed some light on this.  
[/QUOTE]

Anyone?