The mili is back at the gates of Spain. for young people and in order to reinforce the numbers of the army in turbulent times. These are the same times that worry Germany, Belgium and many other countries that have extended a model that existed years ago.
Those times pass, inexorably, Russia and its expansionist “threats” beyond Ukraine, an argument used by the European Union itself to rearm itself. Although the Putin regime assures with one hand – this Thursday again – that it has no interest beyond Ukraine (and because it considers it its own, they say), with the other those that Russia has brought to ‘step on’ European territory (and by extension NATO) have increased the spiral of fear to the very heart of the EUwhich calls for a truly effective new defense strategy.
And better to prevent which Emmanuel Macron verbalized in more presidential terms also this Thursday. “Fear does not prevent danger. The only way to avoid it is to prepare for it,” argued the French leader in the midst of announcing a military service that represents the definitive boost to the ‘wave’ that has been sweeping Europe in recent times and that is already affecting key countries… with Spain pending.
France and the military model low cost
From the Pyrenees upwards they intend to dig deep into their pockets to protect their security… but not excessively, which adds criticism to those already generated by Macron’s project to ensure more military “mass.” Its plan is aimed at 18 and 19 year olds who will receive a pay from 900 to 1,000 eurosa number less than minimum wage interprofessional, during the 10 months of the program, which will be limited exclusively to “service on French territory”.
The plan is born with a “voluntary” character under which they hope to recruit some 10,000 recruits by 2030, which in the most optimistic calculations would rise to 50,000 in 2035.
Germany, the first heavyweight to take the step
The Paris movement has immediate antecedents. Because months before Macron’s plan, Germany did the same, with a program that has been taking shape until its recent presentation. is something more ‘profitable’ for young people who want to enlist in military training.
And gross salary of 2,600 euros per month with which it is intended to attract some 20,000 volunteers throughout 2026, a figure that they hope will multiply by three or four by 2035. Also, for the moment, through volunteerism… although the Government has already dropped the possibility of making the call mandatory due to the lack of personnel in its Armed Forces.
Belgium plays it with a ‘card’
Another key factor in the European Union has already made a first call for letter to warn your 17-year-old kids. It is about Belgiumwhich for some time has been debating (and debating) in a recently presented formula, in the form of almost 150,000 letters to pre-adults to inform them of the possibility of doing a one-year military service in 2026 with a salary of 2,000 euros net per month.
The Belgian plans call for starting the new military training in September 2026 for a group of men and women aged 18 to 25. Initially, a call for applications is estimated at 500 places, with the intention of doubling by 2027 and reaching 7,000 in subsequent years.
Spain, today without military service but with fear (according to the CIS)
No, the return of the military It’s not on the table of the current Government. In fact, the mere idea of expanding the GDP allocated to Defense generates something more than tension in the coalition. Pedro Sánchez signed but assured that it would not reach the 5% agreed by NATO for Defense purposes ().
The increase in the military allowance has led to an increase in the salaries of members of the Armed Forces, but there are no plans to return to compulsory military service that lost its status on December 31, 2001, during the second term of José María Aznar.
Although the number of Army personnel continues to fall, there is no intention of the Ministry of Defense to recover the military. Of course, in a hypothetical scenario, there would be legal support in the Constitution for this. Also in the Military Career Law, which includes the possibility of mobilizing possible mandatory reservists in the event that “the needs of national defense are not satisfied.”
Aside from legal texts, popular sentiment is one of concern in the face of the shadows of a war that, from Ukraine, fully affects the European and Spanish economy. they fear that Spain could be involved in a war in the coming years. And, even worse, the 76,8% of those surveyed see the same thing, war, as their main fear.
Of those who consider an early military conflict as possible, the 57% have Russia as the main threat, followed by 42’2% who believes that the danger comes from Morocco and 30.2% who suspect the US.
Pesismism is latent. Without needing to talk about war but without stopping thinking about it they are the majority who believe that we will be “worse” in the future (41’2%) or “much worse” (13.4%). Absolute sociological majority, wow.
Those who already have military service in the EU: case by case
In the European Union, military service is not just a memory of times past that could return. For ten of its member states It is today a legally constituted reality. And mandatory. These are the cases of Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden. If we make the map wider until we reach throughout Europe, the figure reaches 16including Belarus, Moldova, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine. 17 with the ‘wild card’ of Russia.
Let’s go with the different situations in each EU country:
Austria: Men over 18 years of age have a military service of six months, or nine if they choose alternative civil service. For women, the military is voluntary.
Cyprus: one of the strictest countries, as it forces men between 18 and 50 years old to do 14 months of military service. At 17 years old, registration is voluntary.
Croatia: The New Year of 2025 brought back the mandatory military service, although with a mild nature, as it barely lasts two months and is aimed at young people between 18 and 27 years old.
Denmark: The country already has a current model but is working to expand it. Today luck plays a role, because men face military service whose duration ranges between 4 and 12 months, depending on the situation.
Greece: Military service is compulsory for men over 19 years of age and lasts 12 months, or nine in certain areas of the eastern borders, in Cyprus or in specific military units. There is also a voluntary military service from the age of 18, in which women can sign up.
Estonia: being at the gates of Russia clarifies its casuistry quite a bit. There, the military is mandatory for men of an age range identical to that in Croatia (18-27) and for a period of between 8 and 11 months. Here too, women can do it, voluntarily.
Finland: one of the historical cases, since the military has been mandatory since 1951, largely due to the immense border it shares with Russia. For men it is limited to the age range 18-30 and for a period of between 6 and 12 months. For women, service is voluntary.
Latvia: the most recent case of the ‘Baltics’, since it is mandatory from 2024 for men aged 18 to 27, the same as neighboring Estonia, and for 12 months, with allocation decreed by lottery.
Lithuania: reserves the military for its men between 19 and 26 years old, for six months.
Sweden: It returned in 2017, with a call for men and women aged 18 to 47, with a variable extension that can reach a maximum of 15 months.
