As part of a significant legislative change, Danish women are now subject to military conscription beginning at age 18. This new requirement follows a decision by Denmark's parliament to introduce a lottery system for conscription, bringing women into what has traditionally been a male-dominated process. Under these updated regulations, which were enacted recently, women will no longer solely enlist voluntarily; instead, they will now register alongside men who are also turning 18.
The alteration in conscription policy comes amid escalating defence expenditures as NATO member countries respond to increasing security concerns across Europe. The conscription period for both genders has been extended from four months to eleven months, emphasizing a need for increased military readiness.
In prior years, around 4,700 individuals enlisted for military service in Denmark, with women making up approximately 24% of that figure as volunteers. This shift in policy is anticipated to amplify the total number of conscripts to about 6,500 annually by 2033.
Denmark’s approach mirrors that of neighboring nations, such as Sweden and Norway, which have already enacted similar measures for female conscription. Additionally, the Danish government announced a plan to augment defence spending by 40.5 billion Danish crowns (£4.3 billion, $5.9 billion) over the next five years to satisfy NATO spending benchmarks.
Colonel Kenneth Strom, who leads the conscription programme in the Danish military, stated that this decision was politically driven and aims to enhance the country's combat capabilities across all branches of armed forces. Current military volunteer Katrine expressed her support for the policy, stating, "It’s necessary to have more conscripts," and advocating for gender equality in contributions to national defence amidst current global uncertainties.
