ABSTRACT
Though the unionisation of military personnel is not topical in France, as it is not authorised, the case is not without interest. The prohibition for servicemen to join a union or a professional association ought to be approached as belonging to a larger system of restrictions in the area of rights and freedoms associated with a military profession, still viewed as distinctive, and as a means of objective control of the military institution. The negation of union rights, which is still not questioned by the military, is paralleled by a complex internal mechanism of participation and representation of professional interests. Although there are no signs of change at present, several factors could change the situation in future and reverse present trends.
