Brussels – How should we respond to an increasingly unstable and militarised geopolitical context? For many European governments, one solution is to address the decline in military personnel. As the number of young people willing to pursue a military career continues to fall, many EU Member States without compulsory conscription—unlike the ten that do—have decided to introduce voluntary military service in hopes of attracting more people.
Belgio
On Wednesday 26 August, Belgium officially launched this new form of recruitment. The Flemish broadcaster VRT News has reported that, out of a total sample of around 130,000 young people, 3,248 applied. Of these – according to the Belgian media outlet Brussels Times—50 have been recruited, with a further 450 to follow in the coming weeks. The 500—80 of whom are women—are aged between 18 and 25 and will work full-time for the Ministry of Defence for one year. In addition, a reserve list will compensate for any withdrawals. The Belgian armed forces are counting on some of these young recruits to remain in the reserve (where volunteers have been serving for years) after their year of training, or to apply for one of the thousands of vacancies currently available at the Ministry. On his social media channels, Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken reiterated that this is a “first step in a broader socio-educational narrative,” as well as “a dream come true.” He also emphasised that “many would even like to reintroduce compulsory military service,” but that “after decades of defence cuts, this is not logistically feasible.”
Germania
Since 1 January this year, the rules governing the “new military service” have been in force in Germany; this cannot be described as voluntary, as it involves obligations. In particular, all male German citizens born on or after 1 January 2008 must register and provide their details to the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, upon reaching the age of 18. This involves completing a questionnaire and undergoing a medical assessment. The reason? There is a “need for more active-duty soldiers and reservists.” If you are found to be eligible, you are guaranteed military training with an appropriate salary (around 2,600 euros a month) and, optionally, access to a long-term professional career in the armed forces.
France
Similarly, in France, the
Service militaire volontaire (SMV) offers young people aged 18 to 25 who are not in employment “the opportunity to learn a trade or gain their first work experience at one of its seven dedicated centres. There are two types of volunteers: the trainee volunteer, aged between 18 and 25, of French nationality, who is eligible for a comprehensive, paid residential training programme lasting between 8 and 12 months; and the experienced volunteer, also a French national aged between 18 and 25, who signs a one-year contract renewable up to a maximum of four times. This opportunity is aimed particularly at young people who expressed their willingness to participate during Defence and Citizenship Day, which has become a genuine “Mobilisation Day”. A uniquely French feature, the
“Journée défense et citoyenneté (JDC)”
is held every year to raise awareness among young people and assess their level of proficiency in the French language through specific tests, which are compulsory for enrolment in state examinations and competitive examinations.
Spain
Even in the state led by the socialist Sánchez, there is a call for applications aimed at all young people “who wish to join the armed forces, contribute to the defence of the nation and pursue a professional career within the military.” It is open to all citizens who meet the established requirements, such as being Spanish nationals, being between 18 and 28 years of age, having no criminal record, being in good physical condition, and being willing to relocate to any part of the country. Official government channels clarify that “compulsory military service is not being reinstated, but the defence structure is being strengthened without calling up conscripts and through voluntary reserves”.
Italy
In Italy, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has proposed a bill to reform the armed forces. Approved by the Council of Ministers in August 2026, the reform aims to gradually increase the armed forces’ total strength to 40,000 personnel by 31 December 2033. It provides for three types of reserve: operational, specialist voluntary and territorial. The latter is most similar to systems in place in other EU Member States. In short, it would consist of a pool of personnel with strong local or regional roots, whose main role would be to provide logistical and operational support during natural disasters, rescue operations, and national emergencies. To join, applicants must be aged between 25 and 35 and hold at least a lower secondary school certificate. The measure proposed by Crosetto, however, has not yet completed the parliamentary approval process.
Sweden and Norway
Here, the system differs slightly. In 2017, Sweden also reintroduced compulsory military service, but on a selective basis for both men and women. The state does not oblige everyone to serve: young people are called up for a general selection process, after which only a minority—8,000 young people a year—are selected for military training. In Norway, the situation is the same, with only 10 per cent of conscripts remaining in the armed forces. Most are recruited as soldiers or specialists, while others may choose officer training or an apprenticeship.
Who is subject to compulsory military service in the European Union
Ten EU countries have compulsory military service:
Austria, compulsory for men;
Cyprus, compulsory for men;
Croatia, recently reintroduced (2025/2026) with compulsory basic training for men only;
Denmark, mixed service with conscription extended to women;
Estonia, compulsory for men;
Finland, compulsory for men;
Greece, compulsory for men;
Latvia, reintroduced in 2023;
Lithuania, reintroduced in 2015;
Sweden, reintroduced for both men and women since 2017.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
