In 2011, Germany ended compulsory conscription. But the largest economy in Europe now wants to move toward what the German Ministry of Defense is calling a “new military service.” This would emulate a system used in Sweden, where a questionnaire is sent out to anybody aged 18. The process will be voluntary — at least, at first.
Starting July 1, 2027, it becomes mandatory for all men of that age. “Young men are required to complete the questionnaire,” Germany’s Ministry of Defense says on its website. “For persons of other genders, answering the questions is voluntary, as they are not subject to conscription.”
Anybody who wants to join the army then completes an application process and, if successful, is given the status of “temporary soldier,” or SaZ. This puts the new recruits in a better financial position and the bonuses are supposed to make longer commitments to the military more attractive.
Conscription is not compulsory under the new rules but this model does include the potential for that. Should the security situation change or if there are not enough volunteers, then Germany’s government can order mandatory conscription, once they have the approval from the German parliament, the Bundestag. Basically from 2027 on, the compulsory digital questionnaire will let the government know how many possible soldiers it has, where they are, what sort of health they’re in, and where it might be best to have them serve.
After their voluntary service ends, the young Germans will stay connected to the military through regular service in the reserves — that is, they won’t be serving in the country’s regular army anymore but can be called to serve whenever needed and to take part in exercises and training. Such an increase in reserve soldiers is crucial to NATO’s objectives and the German army is also trying to make up for personnel shortages using this method.
France
France abolished conscription in 1996 but in 2019, President Emmanuel Macron introduced “Service National Universel,” or the SNU. This consists of a one-month program for young people aged between 15 and 17, that is partially organized by the French military but also includes social and civic content.
The French have talked regularly about introducing compulsory conscription. In 2018, Macron promised to do so, but up until today, the SNU has remained voluntary. France has neither the funds nor the political support to push the idea further. Instead, the country is focused on reservists. Their numbers are supposed to more than double, from 46,000 to 105,000 by 2035. That’s about one reservist for every active French serviceman or woman. The reservists should be able to reinforce the regular army in any emergency quickly.
United Kingdom
Conscription was abolished in the UK in 1960. The country maintains a professional army but, like Germany, is short of voluntary recruits.
However military analysts have warned that bringing back conscription is not an efficient or practical way of resolving this problem. Instead they recommend expanding the UK’s reserve forces too.
Poland
Germany’s eastern neighbor abolished conscription in 2008 but since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has been rearming, more so than most other European nations in fact. The Polish army wants to grow to 300,000 soldiers by 2035. Around 50,000 of them will be part of the Territorial Defense Forces, a sort of home guard where part-time soldiers bring civilian skills to the military.
Poland also has reservists, with former soldiers continuing to train. Poland has also instituted military training at high schools, with children aged between 14 and 16 learning about state security, rescue work in, for example, accidents and disasters, as well as basic first aid and health education. The children are also taught how to use a gun in classes that last around an hour a week.
Sweden
In Sweden conscription was abolished in 2010 but then brought back in 2017. All Swedish 18-year-olds must register online and provide personal information to the military, after which a percentage of them are drafted.
This is usually between 5% and 10% of all 18-year-olds in any given year because every year, the army determines how many new recruits are needed. Both men and women are drafted and those who actually want to join the army obviously have a far better chance of being drafted.
Since late 2023, Sweden has also had compulsory civilian service but only in certain sectors: the municipal rescue service and the electricity supply sector.
Finland
Finland never abolished conscription. All Finnish men 18 and older are required to serve while women can volunteer. Basic military service lasts between six and 12 months, depending on the branch of military.
Usually around two-thirds of every group turning 18 serve in the Finnish military, a very high rate by European standards.
Military duty is deeply embedded in the country’s culture and is considered an essential part of Finnish identity.
After completing basic training, almost every local man is considered a reservist and will be called up regularly for training. This means that Finland, a country with a population of 5.6 million, has the potential to mobilize around 280,000 soldiers quickly if it has to. The entire reserve force numbers around 900,000.
Norway
Norway has compulsory conscription for both men and women aged between 18 and 19. In 2013, the local parliament voted to allow conscription for women as well as men, and the first mixed-gender conscripts began training in 2016. Norway was the first NATO country to have both male and female conscripts.
Only a fraction of Norwegians of the right age are called up and as the online publication, Defense One, recently explained, “even though military service is mandatory in Norway, the fact that it’s also highly selective has made it a prestigious assignment.”
The Norwegian military is also relying increasingly on reservists.
Denmark
Denmark also has compulsory military service for 18-year-old males, and from July 2025, for 18-year-old women too. Basic military service was previously only four months, but from 2026 onwards, it will expand to 11 months.
Officially, young people are drafted using a lottery system. Unofficially, though, the Danish military has been getting more voluntary recruits than it needs. Around 4,000 recruits are required annually, but almost double that number usually apply.
Austria
Austria still has conscription. Men aged 18 and over serve six months in the military or nine months in civilian service. Women may volunteer for the military.
Every now and then, Austrians have debated whether to abolish conscription. But given the current security situation in Europe, opponents of conscription presently have little chance of success. Austria is not a member of NATO and is also relying on its reservists, who are regularly called up for exercises.
Latvia
Latvia voted to abolish conscription in 2006 but brought it back in 2023. All men between 18 and 27 must serve for 11 months, while women can volunteer.
Latvia has brought back conscription slowly because of insufficient infrastructure and a shortage of instructors, according to the local Defense Ministry.
By 2027, Latvia wants to have around 7,500 people undergoing military training every year. The plan is to expand the military from over 22,000 soldiers to 50,000, including territorial defense and reservists.
It’s also possible for young Latvians to choose to do civilian service within military institutions.
Lithuania and Ukraine
Lithuania brought back conscription in 2015 and currently drafts around 3,500 men annually via a lottery system. The country doesn’t have a universal conscription system although recently Inga Ruginiene, the country’s next prime minister, said it might be impossible to avoid that given the security environment. Many of the conscripts remain reservists, who can be called up at short notice.
Ukraine reinstated conscription in 2014, and after Russia invaded other parts of the country in 2022, all men aged between 18 and 60 have been eligible for conscription. Close to a million Ukrainians are now part of the army, and it is estimated that at least another million Ukrainians are counted as reservists.
Greece
All men between 18 and 45 must serve in the Greek military for 12 months. Women can serve voluntarily. Those who object and choose to do civilian service are often penalized with much longer service periods.
All conscripts technically remain reservists, and Greece has regular training exercises for them. The country has had a problem getting reservists to show up for training in the past, but the Greek Defense Ministry wants to have 150,000 active reservists by 2030.
Turkey
All men between the ages of 20 and 41 in Turkey are required to serve at least six months in the military. However, after one month, those conscripts who can afford it, can actually pay to get out of the rest of their service. The fee for this currently stands at 243,000 Turkish lira (around €5,000). Turkish draft dodgers risk fines and imprisonment.
This article was originally written in German.
