PNN – In the shadow of the war in Ukraine, Europe have put the plan of compulsory military service and weapons upgrade in order to strengthen their army personnel and strengthen their defense against Russian threats.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, the conscription plan to strengthen the army has attracted the attention of many European countries, including Germany, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
The Austrian newspaper Standard wrote in an article about it: The war in Ukraine has led to discussions in some countries about strengthening military capabilities – also in terms of personnel.
This article continues: The war in Ukraine has started since February 2022, and this has prompted the European Union and many European countries to think carefully about their military resources. One of the fears and concerns in the European Union was that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not stop in Ukraine, but could move westward. For this reason, Finland and Sweden have also joined NATO.
Significant increase in military spending in Europe
In addition to this, the possible scenario of the re-election of Donald Trump’s presidency in the United States added to these concerns. It is clear that Trump wants Europe as a whole to have more military involvement in NATO. Now the figures show that Europe has reacted to all these concerns. According to information from the Stockholm Peace Institute Sipri, military spending in Europe has increased sharply since the start of the Russian war. Accordingly, in 2023, the total of these expenses was 552 billion euros, which is 16% more than in 2022.
The author continued: For example, we can mention German Chancellor Olaf Schultz, who spoke of a “turning point” only a few days after the Russian attack on Ukraine and promised the German military a “special budget” of 100 billion euros. Or France, the EU’s second largest player, which doubled its defense budget in the summer of 2023.
All this has inevitably raised the issue of military personnel in Europe. These questions are raised; do we need more male and female power here? And if so, should we resort to compulsory military service?
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The dominoes of the implementation of the plan of compulsory military service in Europe
In Austria, of course, the situation is clear: since 1955, there has been compulsory military service for male citizens in this country. Currently, they can choose between 6 months of service in the armed forces and 9 months of social service. In 2013, a referendum on conscription was held in the country, with 59.7% voting to keep it and thus against a professional army.
One of the reasons for holding this referendum was the European tendency to abolish conscription. In Germany, for example, conscription was suspended on 1 July 2011 as part of the reform of the armed forces – with the option of reactivating the scheme in case of tension or defense. The government believed that this would make the army smaller but more powerful. Now exactly 13 years later and this summer, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius presented plans for a new military service in light of the Russian threat.
Accordingly, in the future, German men and women will receive a request from the German army on their 18th birthday to think about military service and fill out a questionnaire. According to Pistorius, the plan is for them to provide information about their “qualifications and interests” as well as whether they want to serve in the military. Men have to do it; women can do it, because they are generally not subject to conscription in Germany.
Presentation of the conscription plan by the German Ministry of Defense to the Parliament
Boris Pistorius expects the federal cabinet to approve his plans for new military service (Wednesday), German media reported.
Before the meeting of the group of ministers, he mentioned the change in the security situation in Europe and the need for more military reserves. According to him, Germany’s participation in the defense of the NATO alliance requires the volume of long-term defense of about 460,000 soldiers. Pistorius told the German news agency in Berlin: A large part of them, about 260,000 people, should be able to be supplied from reserves.
Conscription in Germany was suspended after 55 years in 2011 under Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU), the country’s defense minister. This meant the abolition of conscription because at the same time virtually all conscription structures were dissolved.
Rising debates about conscription in France and Italy
Conscription was also abolished in France in 2002. In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron introduced the Universal National Service. In this plan, young people can serve in civilian or military institutions for one month. For a long time there have been talks and discussions about making this service compulsory in France, however, the final decision has not been made yet.
Conscription was suspended in Italy in 2005. As in many countries, this step was controversial; there were frequent discussions about its reintroduction in this country. But the most debates about it this year were started by Matteo Salvini, the president of the right-wing Lega party and the current deputy of Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure. In a speech in May, he proposed six months of compulsory military service in a military or civilian facility for those between the ages of 18 and 26. Salvini later also presented a draft of the relevant law.
Those in Italy who support Salvini argue that conscription could strengthen Italy’s defense forces while also strengthening national pride. Of course, opponents of conscription argue that instead of forcing them to serve in the military, the job prospects of young people should be improved.
The increasing desire of Eastern European countries to implement the plan of compulsory military service
In Eastern Europe, the region closer to the war in Ukraine and thus to Russia, Latvia was the first country to react with conscription. In mid-2023, conscription, which was abolished in the country in 2007, was introduced on a voluntary basis, and from this year men between the ages of 18 and 27 were again conscripted for eleven months. Lithuania reintroduced conscription in 2015, a year after the Donbas war and Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
In Poland, where conscription was abolished in 2010, the government introduced voluntary military service in April 2022, two months after the start of the Ukraine war. According to this plan, people can complete 27 days of training before entering the reserve forces, or they can stay in this condition for another eleven months and then apply for a job in the professional army.
The Czech Republic also turned its back on compulsory military service in 2005. The country currently has a professional army of 26,600. In addition, there are more than 4,000 reserve forces. Military experts believe that the number of reserve forces in this country will increase to 10,000 by 2030. According to polls, public support for conscription has increased in the country as a result of the war in Ukraine, but serious debate has not begun.
The Croatian government has actually made great progress with its plans to introduce two months of compulsory military service. But the implementation of this plan was stopped due to the holding of the presidential elections, which were scheduled for December or January. It is very unlikely that the relevant law will be passed before this date.
Denmark has also chosen a mixed form: about 6,000 men, about 20 percent of those liable for military service, are needed for the army each year. In recent years, there have always been enough volunteers to serve four months. Otherwise, it will be decided by lottery that will get this chance. In March, the Danish government decided to extend the service to eleven months and include women. Prime Minister Matt Fredriksen also announced that 5.5 billion euros will be spent on new weapons. Of course, he said: We don’t arm ourselves because we want war, but we arm ourselves to prevent it.