Denmark brings forward women’s military service

COPENHAGEN: Denmark´s defence ministry on Tuesday announced it was bringing forwards military service for women by two years.

“In light of the current defence and security policy situation, the armed forces need to recruit more people,” Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in a statement. Women who turn 18 after July 1, 2025, could be required to take part in an annual ballot from next year to determine which ones must perform mandatory military service, something which is already required of men.

“This is therefore an important signal to move up full equality between men and women to July 1, 2025,” said Poulsen. The annual ballot would only take place if there were not enough volunteers that year.

New conscription regulations also extend military service from four to 11 months. Faced with the rising threat posed by Russia, Denmark in February announced additional defence spending of 6.8 billion euros for the next two years (2026 and 2027), following an increase of 5.4 billion euros a year ago.