The left-wing and pro-independence parliamentary groups in Congress – ERC, Junts, Sumar, EH-Bildu, PNB, BNG, Compromís, and Podem – are calling for the creation of a committee in the lower house to investigate abuses, vexations, and deaths during compulsory military service. The parties signing this demand, which does not include the PSOE's signature, recall that in recent months numerous testimonies have emerged recounting "systematic situations of vexations, mistreatment, harassment, and physical and psychological aggressions suffered by recruits, as well as deaths occurring under not sufficiently clarified circumstances." This is detailed in the documentary They Will Make You a Man, which revealed that "many recruits suffered vexations, mistreatment, and aggressions in an environment that should guarantee their safety and well-being." The parties emphasize that official data from the Ministry of Defence places the number of "documented suicides in the armed forces between 1983 and 2001 at over 300, although various journalistic investigations and family testimonies suggest the figure could be higher, especially if deaths classified at the time as accidental are taken into account." Thus, they recall that "several families have learned years later that the death of their children was a suicide linked to the abuses and vexations suffered during their stay in barracks." In light of this evidence, the parties signing the petition consider that "these events do not correspond to isolated incidents, but rather point to a structural dynamic of impunity and institutional negligence, with devastating consequences for the victims and their surroundings." "The lack of exhaustive investigations, the institutional silence for decades, and the absence of recognition and reparation mechanisms have aggravated the suffering of those affected," they add. Clarifying the facts

Therefore, they believe it is necessary to formally activate institutional mechanisms to contribute to the clarification of facts, the recognition of victims, and the promotion of reparation measures, ensuring that the state-wide scope of the issue is assumed by the competent bodies. The objective of the investigation is to gather data on suicides and deaths in unclear circumstances and the denunciation of warnings linked to compulsory military service. Also, the analysis of possible institutional, political, and military responsibilities, public recognition of victims, the establishment of moral, symbolic, and economic reparation mechanisms, or access to free legal assistance and psychological support for those affected and their families.

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The left-wing and pro-independence parliamentary groups in Congress—ERC, Junts, Sumar, EH-Bildu, PNV, BNG, Compromís, and Podemos—are calling for the creation of a commission in the lower house to investigate abuses, mistreatment, and deaths during mandatory military service. The parties behind this demand, which is not supported by the PSOE, point out that in recent months numerous testimonies have emerged detailing "systematic situations of mistreatment, abuse, harassment, and physical and psychological aggression suffered by recruits, as well as deaths under circumstances that remain unclear." This is detailed in the documentary.Et faran un homeThe report revealed that "many recruits suffered harassment, mistreatment, and assaults in an environment that should have guaranteed their safety and well-being." The parties emphasize that official data from the Ministry of Defense places the number of documented suicides in the armed forces between 1983 and 2001 at over "300, although various journalistic investigations and testimonies from family members suggest that the figure could be higher, especially if deaths classified at the time as accidental are taken into account." They also note that "several families have learned years later that their children's deaths were suicides linked to the abuse and mistreatment suffered during their time in the barracks." Given this evidence, the parties signing the petition believe that "these events are not isolated incidents, but rather point to a structural dynamic of impunity and institutional negligence, with devastating consequences for the victims and their families." "The lack of thorough investigations, decades of institutional silence, and the absence of mechanisms for recognition and redress have exacerbated the suffering of those affected," they add.

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Under the slogan "We don't want to be cannon fodder," thousands of German students protested this Friday in several German cities against the possible reintroduction of mandatory military service. The "school strike" has called for demonstrations in ninety locations across the country against the plans of the conservative government of Friedrich Merz to reintroduce military service, currently on a voluntary basis. The new law will, however, include a series of mandatory elements for eighteen-year-olds, such as the obligation to answer a questionnaire and undergo a medical examination.

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Almost four years after the start of the war in Ukraine And faced with "growing threats"—that is, the threat of a Russian attack—France is reinstating military service. It won't be mandatory as it was 28 years ago, when conscription ended and the French army was professionalized, but it will have many similarities. President Emmanuel Macron announced that it will begin next summer. "There is a generation ready to rise up for the homeland," he declared on Thursday. The French head of state chose a military base in the Alps to make the announcement and surrounded himself with very young soldiers in a carefully staged event. The French government plans to mobilize some 3,000 young people during the first summer, both men and women aged 18 and over, and estimates that by 2035 some 50,000 people will have completed the so-called voluntary national service (SNV). It will last 10 months and will be paid with a salary of 800 euros per month. The majority of young people entering military service will be between 18 and 19 years old, although some profiles useful to the army—for example, nurses, engineers, or translators—will also be accepted up to the age of 25. "This national service can only make sense if it is substantial," declared Macron, who specified that the available positions will have to be adapted "depending on the evolution of the threat." In fact, he announced that in the event of a "major crisis," Parliament could authorize the recruitment of other people who are not volunteers. "Then national service would become mandatory," explained the president. However, Macron stressed that this would be an "exceptional" situation. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the possibility of reinstating mandatory military service has been discussed on more than one occasion, but the French government had shelved the idea because it lacks sufficient infrastructure. Now Macron doesn't rule it out entirely, but only in the event of a conflict.

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The German government approved this Wednesday the project to reinstate military service with the aim of increasing the number of currently active soldiers by 80,000. They want to have 260,000 soldiers to confront the security threats posed by Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Initially, recruitment will be limited to volunteers, but the text opens the door to making it mandatory.

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Given the complex geopolitical context, France is looking to strengthen its military. After ruling out reintroducing compulsory military service, the government has announced another initiative: a mandatory training course for all young people between the ages of 16 and 25 to learn what a soldier's job is like. Starting in September, boys and girls with French nationality will be required to participate in the course, which will begin with a patriotic act: the raising of the flag while singing. The MarseillaiseThe Ministry of Defense believes the activity can serve to awaken vocations and recruit future soldiers.

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"As long as military service doesn't return..." resigns a woman reading a newspaper in a café. European rearmament is now dominating political debate, and security is the main concern of governments. "It's not that this is the current debate. It's the most important debate of the generations alive today," commented a senior Spanish diplomat at a recent meeting, where the question of whether compulsory military service could return to Spain also arose. This issue is not on the table in most southern European countries, but the situation is very different in the Nordic, Baltic, and Eastern European states, which for geographical and historical reasons feel closer to the threat posed by the expansionism of Vladimir Putin's regime. Without going any further, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced last week that his government is planning "large-scale" military training for "all adult males" in the country. "Even if they don't join the army, they will be full-fledged soldiers in the event of a conflict," said the leader in a speech to the Polish Parliament.

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