Europe is heading towards the reinstatement of military service

BarcelonaThe war in Ukraine and the expansionism of Vladimir Putin's regime have completely changed the mindset of the European Union. In almost four years of the Russian offensive, member states have gone from abandoning defense and relying solely on soft power to rapid rearmament and to the recovery of militaristic discourseThis new attitude not only leads to a significant increase in defense budgets and military capabilities among European partners, but is also beginning to have more immediate effects on the civilian population. Among other initiatives, a growing number of EU countries are opting to reinstate conscription or encourage young people to enlist in the armed forces.

The latest member state France has been the one to take this stepFrench President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday the implementation of a military service program aimed at recruiting approximately 3,000 young people next summer, with the goal of having around 50,000 French citizens complete the program by 2035. While initially voluntary, it could become mandatory in cases of "extreme crisis." The program will last approximately ten months and offer a monthly stipend of 800 euros. France is one of the leading military powers within the European Union, but it is not an exception within the broader European landscape. Even historically neutral and pacifist countries like Belgium are taking steps toward reinstating military service. Two weeks ago, the Belgian government announced a new plan for recruiting young people into the country's armed forces and sent a letter to all 17-year-old citizens informing them that they can enlist next year for twelve months with an attractive monthly salary of 2,000 euros.

Before France or Belgium, countries like Germany, the largest EU member state, Poland, and several Eastern European countries had already joined the trend. The German government, for example, announced in the summer that it would reinstate military service. Like France, it will be voluntary, leaving the door open for it to become mandatory in the future. The intention is to increase the number of troops from 80,000 to 260,000 to prepare for the threat posed by Russia.

There are countries, however, that have never abolished military service, such as Finland. Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia have reinstated it in recent years. And there are states like Sweden, Norway, Cyprus, Greece, and Austria, where citizens must enroll in civilian and military training programs.

As for Spain, for the moment it is one of the European partners that remains most pacifist, and where the militaristic discourse spreading throughout Europe is received with the worst reception. In fact, Pedro Sánchez's government was the only one that avoided committing to increasing defense spending to 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP), as imposed by Donald Trump through NATO, and at all times rejected the idea of reinstating conscription.

Brussels strengthens military service

Beyond national governments, the European Commission is also undertaking initiatives to strengthen military service across the continent and increase the size of armed forces. For example, earlier this year, during the presentation of the Preparedness Strategy, which included the now-famous survival kit, Brussels recommended that countries prepare their citizens for climate emergencies—such as torrential rains, fires, or droughts—or military emergencies, particularly regarding eyesight.

In fact,in a similar document presented last OctoberBrussels has already presented a report, commissioned from former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, on how to "change the mindset" of European citizens regarding defense and military preparedness. This document, which received the public endorsement of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, even raised the possibility of reinstating conscription across the European bloc, although defense matters fall under the jurisdiction of member states, and therefore Brussels has little say.

It should be remembered that the vast majority of member states is having trouble finding soldiers and increase the personnel of their armed forces. For some time now, countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands have seen a decline in personnel in recent years, particularly in the lower ranks. This is largely due to demographic factors and the aging population, but above all to the pacifism of Europeans and the animosity that the military and military service generate among many young people. One of the few European countries that does not have recruitment problems is Finland, which is why Brussels sought advice from its former president.