European countries mandating compulsory military service for women:
In a significant move towards promoting gender equality and enhancing military readiness, Denmark has announced the extension of compulsory military conscription to women. This policy change, which was initially planned for 2027, has been accelerated to take effect from 2025.
The new conscription policy, which is gender-neutral, means that both men and women aged 18 will be entered into a draft lottery to fill remaining service places after volunteers are selected. This move aligns Denmark with its Nordic neighbours Norway and Sweden, both of which have had gender-neutral conscription for several years.
Prior to this change, women could only join the Danish armed forces voluntarily. The new conscription policy is part of a broader military build-up by Denmark, aimed at addressing growing geopolitical tensions, such as Russian aggression. The Danish parliament passed these new rules in June 2025.
The implementation will be gradual, with infrastructure expansions planned to accommodate the increased number of conscripts, including women. This decision has provoked mixed reactions, with some sections of the population feeling the reform is unfair due to childbirth considerations.
Researcher Stephanie Vincent Lyk-Jensen, from the Danish Centre for Social Science Research (VIVE), has stated that the decision has raised the need for the military to implement measures to ensure equal opportunities, support, and inclusivity within the armed forces.
Norway, inspired by Denmark's lead, is planning to conscript thousands more soldiers. Meanwhile, Serbia is considering reintroducing conscription as regional tensions grow. The European Union does not provide specific details on which countries within the union require compulsory military service for men, although it is known that military service is compulsory for men in around 10 countries, including Finland, Cyprus, and Greece.
As of 2020, women account for about 10% of armed forces personnel on average within the European Union. The question is raised if Germany should bring back compulsory military service due to current geopolitical tensions in Europe. Ukraine has lowered its conscription age amid concerns of a possible offensive by Russia.
Denmark's government announced plans to bolster its military by setting up a $7 billion (€5.9 billion) fund. The aim is to increase the number of people doing military service annually to 6,500 by 2033, up from 4,700 last year. This move is expected to push Denmark's defense spending to exceed 3% of GDP this year.
In Northern Europe, Norway was the first European country and NATO member to introduce universal conscription for both men and women, effective from 2015. Sweden reinstated conscription for both genders in 2017. The approach in these countries is universal, but selective, with only motivated individuals serving. In Denmark, the approach is similar, with a gender-neutral draft, but allows for volunteering first, with a lottery filling remaining places.
References: [1] BBC News. (2021, July 1). Denmark to extend military conscription to women. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57713893 [2] The Local. (2021, June 24). Denmark to introduce conscription for women in 2025. Retrieved from https://www.thelocal.dk/20210624/denmark-to-introduce-conscription-for-women-in-2025 [3] The Guardian. (2021, June 24). Denmark to conscript women in bid to boost its military. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/24/denmark-to-conscript-women-in-bid-to-boost-its-military
The implementation of Denmark's gender-neutral conscription policy will not only affect military readiness but also finance, as it will require funds for infrastructure expansions to accommodate an increased number of conscripts, including women. This policy shift, aligned with Nordic neighbors, may influence lifestyle choices and decisions for young Danish individuals, particularly women.
