COPENHAGEN – From July 1, 2025, young Danish women may also be called for mandatory military service. This was announced by Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, explaining that the goal is twofold: to strengthen the Danish armed forces and to anticipate full equality between men and women in national defense responsibilities.
"In light of the current political and security situation, the armed forces need more personnel. Extending conscription to women is a necessary and symbolically important step," Poulsen stated.
A New Female Conscription
The measure, initially planned for 2027, has been brought forward to 2025. Girls who turn 18 after July 1, 2025, will be invited to participate in the Defense Day 2026, an annual event during which young people, through a lottery, determine the possibility of being actually called to serve, in case of a shortage of volunteers.
Currently, women in Denmark can already enlist on a voluntary basis, and in 2023 they made up about a quarter of new recruits. With this reform, Denmark becomes the third European country to introduce female conscription, after Norway (2015) and Sweden (2017).
Enhanced and Equal Defense
In addition to the inclusion of women, the new framework agreement provides for the extension of the duration of conscription from four to eleven months for both sexes. The reform also includes investment in ground-based air defenses and the creation of an infantry brigade of 6,000 soldiers by 2028.
“We are not rearming because we want war, but to avoid it,” stated Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. “We live in a world where the international order is being tested.”
The Russian Threat and Investments
The geopolitical context, particularly the growing threat posed by Russia, has prompted Denmark to significantly increase its military spending. In February, the government announced an additional increase of 6.8 billion euros for defense over the next two years, after having already invested 5.4 billion the previous year.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen emphasized that although "Russia does not pose a direct threat to Denmark, we cannot afford to put ourselves in a vulnerable position.”
A NATO Commitment and for Ukraine
A founding member of NATO, Denmark is among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine in the war against Russia. Copenhagen will also provide F-16 fighters to Kyiv by the summer, confirming its active role in European security.
With the new plan, Denmark aims to reach the NATO target of 2% of GDP allocated to defense. In 2024, the country spent about 1.4%.
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