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Defence: Which European countries have mandatory and voluntary military service?

Countries across Europe are reviving conscription amid shrinking military numbers and heightened geopolitical tensions worldwide. Can mandatory military service fill the gaps?

READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2026/04/27/defence-which-european-countries-have-mandatory-and-voluntary-military-service

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Transcript
00:00Which European countries have mandatory and voluntary military service?
00:08Amid the war in Ukraine and Trump's criticism of NATO allies,
00:12several European states have moved to boost their own security and defense capabilities.
00:18One of the key components of a country's defense is its military,
00:21increasingly supported in Europe by conscripted reserves.
00:25Currently, conscription measures vary greatly across the EU.
00:28At least 10 member states have conscription in place,
00:31with 8 countries making it mandatory only for men,
00:34and 2 countries making it mandatory for both men and women.
00:38Among these countries, conscription can last up to 15 months,
00:42with Croatia requesting the least at 2 months.
00:45On the other hand, some EU countries have voluntary military service,
00:49but they vary in how it is applied.
00:51For example, 18-year-old German men living in Germany face mandatory registration
00:56and need to fill out a questionnaire signalling if they want to fully enlist.
01:01Military personnel numbers shrunk by 16% on average between 2010 and 2020,
01:07according to the latest figures from the European Organization of Military Associations and Trade Unions.
01:14Belgium and Germany saw the largest decreases at 26.5% and 25% respectively.
01:20On the other hand, Hungary and Sweden registered the biggest increases, both at 25%.
01:26Italy and Finland finished the largest increase at 7.6% speaking.
01:29Treasurer & Federation persists and Reach China
01:30Carmem executive규 AND separately
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