Which European countries have mandatory or voluntary military service

Some of NATO’s largest members in Europe are moving to strengthen their professional militaries through voluntary national service programs.

Large conscript armies were a feature of NATO countries during the Cold War, but their size diminished after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

However, there has been Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the ongoing war there Fears ignited From a possible future Russian attack on NATO.

Here we take a look at how this new recruitment drive is being played out among the 30 NATO member states, many of which still have conscript militaries.

Compulsory conscription takes place in nine European NATO countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and Turkey.

In Turkey, which has the second-largest army in the security alliance after the United States, men between the ages of 20 and 41 are forced to perform military service for six to 12 months.

In comparison, Norway generally recruits men and women for 12 months.

Croatia The government plans to reintroduce compulsory conscription next year, as it will become mandatory for men between the ages of 19 and 29 to undergo basic military training for two months.

Other NATO members do not have conscription but have professional armies.

the UKTürkiye, which rivals France or Germany in conventional military power (and is the only NATO country in Europe besides France to possess nuclear weapons), relies on a professional army.

It is unique among NATO members in terms of underage recruitment, as 16-year-olds can join with parental consent.

Albania, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain They also have professional armies.

Iceland It has no regular military forces, although the Coast Guard performs some defensive duties.

Just this month, BelgiumThe Ministry of Defense has sent letters to 17-year-olds inviting them to volunteer for around €2,000 a month.

The voluntary military service scheme, scheduled to begin next year, aims to raise the number of reservists in the army from about 6,000 to 20,000.

Belgium’s neighbour, HollandIt launched voluntary military service in 2023 in an effort to support its professional armed forces.

Poland, Which has one of NATO’s largest armies, It launched voluntary one-month basic military training in 2024. This year, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced plans to introduce “large-scale military training for every adult male” in the country.

“We are talking about the necessity of having an army of half a million soldiers in Poland, including reservists,” he said.

In 2020, Bulgaria Introduce voluntary military service for citizens up to the age of forty for a period of six months and Romania It plans to bring in four-month voluntary military service next year.

Germany ended compulsory military service in 2011.

Its parliament has now voted in favor of introducing military service on a voluntary basis. If the security situation worsens or if too few volunteers come forward, some form of compulsory military service may be considered.

The new law will require all 18-year-old men to fill out a questionnaire asking whether they are willing and able to join the armed forces and, from July 2027, to undergo a medical examination to determine their suitability.

If war broke out, the army would be able to rely on questionnaires and medical examinations of potential recruits.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he wanted to create “the strongest conventional army in Europe.”

The plan aims to expand the armed forces from 183,000 active-duty personnel to 260,000 by 2035 – in addition to 200,000 reserve soldiers.

Students in about 90 cities across the country participated in a school strike on December 5 to protest the move, with some using the slogan “Don’t end up as cannon fodder.”

A recent poll of German public opinion conducted by Forsa magazine for Stern magazine indicated that while just over half of respondents favored compulsory service, opposition rose to 63% among people aged 18 to 29 years.

France, which abolished military conscription 25 years ago, has about 200,000 soldiers and 47,000 reserve soldiers.

A new plan envisions adding volunteers to the structure.

Young men and women will be called upon to serve for 10 months of paid military training.

This new ‘national service’ will be introduced gradually from next summer, especially for young people aged 18-19, who will receive at least €800 (£700) per month.

Initially, numbers will be limited to 3,000 next year, but this is expected to rise to 50,000 by 2035.

“The only way to avoid danger is to prepare for it,” President Emmanuel Macron said while announcing the plan. “We need to mobilize, mobilize the nation to defend itself, to be prepared and to be respected.”

Opinion polls indicate that a large majority of the public supports voluntary military service. An Elabe poll found that 73% support the measure. Young people – aged 25 to 34 – were the least supportive, but even in this age group there was a majority of 60%.

Other European countries adopt different methods in supplying their armies.

Among the EU countries that are not members of NATO:

• Austria It has a system of compulsory military service for men between the ages of 18 and 35, who are required to serve for approximately six months or participate in alternative service. Women can serve voluntarily

• Cyprus Compulsory military service is imposed on all male citizens over the age of 18, along with some persons of Cypriot origin. Women can enlist voluntarily after a law was passed in Parliament in April

• both Republic of Ireland and Malta They have professional armies

in Switzerlanda non-EU country, male citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 must serve in the army, join the civil defense or an alternative civil service.

Last week, Swiss voters broadly rejected a proposal to expand national service – in the army, civil protection squads or elsewhere – to include women.