Compulsory military service for women too – What is the reason for the unusual Danish measure?
Denmark has introduced compulsory military service for women starting in 2026. The reason for this measure is to increase the country's defense capability.
Denmark will increase the number of conscripts for the Danish Army and the Danish Civil Protection Agency from about 4,700 now to 7,500. Therefore, the Danish Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen, said that starting from 2026, women should perform compulsory military service under the same conditions as men.
He said that if a sufficient number of volunteers do not show up for compulsory military service, women could also be forcibly recruited.
According to the decision, women who turn 18 after July 1 this year can be recruited for military service during 2026. " Equality is good and increases the possibility of building combat power in Danish defense," the minister told the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten.
In Denmark, compulsory military service has so far only applied to men aged 18 and over. For women, military service is not currently compulsory, but they can voluntarily register to participate in this service. Women make up 25 percent of the Danish army's recruits.
Even after the changes, the principle that not all persons aged 18 and over will be compulsorily recruited for compulsory military service will continue to apply.
And since there are enough volunteers, not all young men and women will be called up for compulsory military service, but their selection will be done by lottery.
Last year, it was decided that compulsory military service in Denmark would be extended from four to eleven months starting in August 2026. "A stronger military service, which also takes gender equality into account, will help us overcome challenges in security policy," Defense Minister Poulsen said at the time.
The decision makes Denmark the second EU country to impose conscription on women for military service. A similar law has been in force in Sweden since 2017. In Norway, which is a NATO member but not an EU member, women must also perform military service.
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