Europe: mandatory vs. voluntary military service, big pay gap.
French President Emmanuel Macron, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, announced last Thursday the revival of “national service” as a voluntary military scheme.
In light of the war in Ukraine and what Europe calls “growing threats,” the French president proposed mobilizing 3,000 young volunteers from early summer 2026, with the goal of reaching 10,000 by 2030 and 50,000 by 2035.
The scheme, intended for French citizens aged 18 to 25, is expected to last 10 months, and young people who are to be stationed and serve “only in France” will receive at least 800 euros per month.
The announcement of the “national service” plan in France and the announced salaries for volunteers have given the issue of military service in Europe, which has gained momentum in the media, given the idea of “growing threat” and “the need to be prepared to face a hybrid war with Russia”, a topic that has gained momentum in the media; the European news analysis website (Toute l’Europe) has examined both compulsory and voluntary forms of service from the perspective of salaries and benefits.
The huge difference in salaries during compulsory service
In Denmark, military service has recently been extended from four to 11 months, and has been compulsory for women since July 1. Young people are selected by lottery based on the needs of the army and, according to the 2024 report of the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO), each soldier receives an average of €1,900 per month.
In Finland, conscripts must serve for 6, 9, or 12 months, depending on their specialty or rank. They are provided with room and board and receive a daily allowance that increases over time: initially €6.10 per day, rising to €10.15 after 165 days and €14.15 after 255 days. Service is voluntary for women. After completing their training, conscripts are placed in the reserve until they are 50 or 60 years old. The government is considering increasing it to 65.
In Greece, military service remains mandatory for men over the age of 18, for a period of nine to 12 months. From March 2025, women could voluntarily participate in military service. However, the salary received remains very low and, according to EBCO data, ranges from €8.80 per month for a regular soldier to €140 per month for a conscript with two children.
In Austria and Switzerland (a non-EU country), military service is mandatory for men; six months in Austria, nine months in Switzerland. Women in both countries can voluntarily join the military. In Switzerland, young men start their service at a “recruitment school” and receive a daily allowance of 69 francs, or about 74 euros.
In Estonia, military service lasts eight to 11 months for men and is voluntary for women. Conscripts in this country earn between 115 and 230 euros per month, depending on their rank. According to the Estonian Defence Resources Agency, this amount is added to a bonus of 10 euros per day if they are deployed abroad for more than two weeks.
Many countries revive conscription with small fees
In Lithuania, conscription for men, which was suspended in 2008, was reintroduced in 2015. The Baltic country thus became the first EU member state to reverse its decision.
Young men in this country are selected by lottery to serve nine months, while women can participate voluntarily. In 2025, 25,149 young men were eligible for military service, but the army called up only 3,865.
After completing their service, conscripts join the reserves for 10 years, a period that will increase to 15 years in 2026. The website of the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense indicates that conscripts receive a salary proportional to their days of service, which is financed from the budget allocated for this purpose.