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Eleven European countries currently run compulsory military service: Austria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Denmark and, from 2026, Croatia. Lithuania was the first EU state to reinstate the draft, in 2015; Sweden followed in 2017, Latvia in 2024. Denmark, Norway and Sweden are the only three drafting men and women on equal terms — Denmark's women join the lottery from 2025, under a law effective 1 July 2025.
A new wave of voluntary service
Seven more countries are moving on this in 2025–26, but not toward compulsion. France is restoring a 10-month voluntary service from 2026, aiming for 3,000 volunteers in its first year, rising toward 10,000 a year by 2030. Belgium introduces a 12-month voluntary program in 2026 (targeting roughly 1,000 volunteers a year from 2027). Poland's voluntary program has run since 2022, aiming for 100,000 trained volunteers a year by 2027. Romania's four-month voluntary service, open to both men and women, was published into law on 9 January 2026. Bulgaria has run a voluntary reserve program since 2020.
Screening is not conscription
Germany and the Netherlands get a distinct treatment on this board because their new systems genuinely aren't conscription. Germany's 2026 law screens 18-year-old men with a questionnaire and medical check but doesn't enroll anyone into service — it stays voluntary unless a future law changes that. The Netherlands runs a comparable notification system, sending service invitations since 2025 without compelling anyone to serve.
The complete picture
This board now places all 30 countries in scope — every EU member state plus the UK, Norway and Iceland — into one of the three categories, with none left off as an unrepresentative sample. Twelve currently have neither compulsory service nor a newly-announced voluntary program: Czechia, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
Which European countries currently have compulsory military service?
Eleven countries currently run compulsory military service: Austria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Denmark and, from 2026, Croatia.
Which country was the first EU state to bring back the draft, and when?
Lithuania was the first EU state to reinstate the draft, doing so in 2015. Sweden followed in 2017 and Latvia in 2024.
Which countries draft men and women on equal terms?
Denmark, Norway and Sweden are the only three countries here drafting men and women on equal terms. Denmark's women join the conscription lottery from 2025, under a law that took effect on 1 July 2025.
What's the difference between Germany's new screening system and actual conscription?
Germany's 2026 law screens 18-year-old men with a questionnaire and medical check but doesn't enroll anyone into service — it stays voluntary unless a future law changes that, which is why it's treated separately from the eleven countries with genuine compulsory service. The Netherlands runs a comparable notification system, sending service invitations since 2025 without compelling anyone to serve.
Which countries are launching new voluntary military service, and how big are they aiming to get?
Seven countries are moving toward voluntary programs rather than compulsion in 2025–26. France is restoring a 10-month voluntary service from 2026, aiming for 3,000 volunteers in its first year and rising toward 10,000 a year by 2030; Poland's program, running since 2022, aims for 100,000 trained volunteers a year by 2027; Belgium, Romania and Bulgaria are running smaller voluntary schemes of their own.
Why aren't Switzerland and Turkey included on this board, even though they also have conscription?
Switzerland and Turkey both require military service, but their systems predate the 2024–26 wave of reinstatements and new programs this board specifically tracks, so they're left off rather than mixed in with the current cluster of moves.
Sources
Croatian Ministry of Defence · OSW Centre for Eastern Studies · The Local Europe (Nov 2025) · World Population Review (2026) · EBCO · Brno Daily & CZDefence (Czechia, Apr 2026) · CNN, Al Jazeera, Reuters & Euronews reporting on Denmark, Croatia, France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands & Romania (2025–26) · national defence ministries and official gazettes. Verified August 2026.