Conscription comeback? Europe reckons with WWII ghosts

The geopolitical instability that has taken over the world since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine almost three years ago, has brought back the ghosts of World War II in Europe.

Faced with this scenario, countries have already begun to increase their defense budget, while some go a step further: they propose returning to compulsory military service.

In 1989 the European continent had about 3.4 million soldiers, according to the World Bank. But at the end of the Cold War, the numbers were reduced to less than 2 million in 2020.

And while it’s still unknown  whether proposals to bring back conscription will become a reality, the trend is that countries will spend more on defense and, perhaps, on their armed forces. This are some of the countries that are discussing the matter:

In May, former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that he would re-introduce compulsory or civil military service for all 18-year-olds, both men and women.

However, since he lost the election to Labour, this matter would fall on Keir Starmer’s hands, as the new prime minister. While he’s said that the UK will spend more on defence and boost the morale by bettering the conditions in the military, he hasn’t said anything about bringing back mandatory military service. 

Be that as it may, mandatory National Service in the UK provides that for 12 months young people who reach the majority of age will work for the Armed Forces or dedicate at least one week a month to social services for the community.

In Italy, the leader of the League, Matteo Salvini, submitted a bill with the aim of "reintroducing six months of civil or military service for young people, men and women between 18 and 26 years old," as he announced on social media.

Civil and military service would be carried out exclusively in Italy and in the region of residence for six months. Compulsory military service was abolished in Italy in 2005.

“It is a form of civic education at the service of the community, of discipline, and respect for oneself and others, which can have very positive effects," Salvini said.

The far-right politician's proposal raised criticism not only in the opposition, but also among members of the government itself.

Elly Schlein, leader of the democratic party, showed her rejection categorically: "We want to see the future in the hands of young people, not in weapons," she said.

Other representatives of the Executive also opposed it. Guido Crosetto, current Minister of Defense, stated that "the Armed Forces cannot be thought of as a place to educate young people (...)

In some countries, such as Germany, it is the citizens themselves who are in favor of bringing back conscription. According to a survey by the Forsa opinion research institute, 52% of respondents believe that compulsory military service should be reinstated in the country.

Compulsory military service was suspended in 2011 in the country. However, its re-introduction has been debated for some time. In fact, a few months ago the Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius, stated that its abolition  was a mistake, according to a DW report.

On the European continent there are now 13 countries where military service is mandatory, although in different modalities. These are Austria, Estonia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, Cyprus, Switzerland, Moldova and Ukraine.

However, in the Scandinavian countries, for example, it is a selective and very limited recruitment system: that is, the positions that open each year are filled by volunteers, according to an article by the Huffington Post.

Ukraine recently reintroduced conscription. Last April, Zelensky signed the mobilization law to establish compulsory military service for all men between 25 and 60 years old. In this way, it aims to increase the soldiers in the ranks of the Ukrainian army to defend itself against Russia.

And European countries are not the only ones having a discussion on bringing back conscription. According to an article by The Washington Post, several GOP members and lawmakers think that with Trump back in power, mandatory military service could make a comeback.

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