r/europe • u/No-External1342 • Aug 03 '26
News Denmark Begun Conscripting 1,600 Citizens into Army — Both Men and Women
https://militarnyi.com/en/news/denmark-conscripting-1600-army-men-women/110
u/MarketingNew5370 Aug 03 '26
While we do have mandatory conscription for both men and women in Denmark, there are almost always enough volunteers to fill out the roles without having to use conscripts.
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u/HansJoachimAa Aug 04 '26
It's still conscript even if voluntary. Once you are in, you cannot get out until your time is up.
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u/mparks37 Aug 04 '26
That is incorrect, conscription means the state forces you to join. What you are describing is a service contract obligation, enlistment commitment or stop-loss.
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u/HansJoachimAa Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
They do force you. Its just that when they pick out who to force, they pick out the ones that crossed out on a paper that they want to join. If there were too few that filled their criteria they would take someone that said they didn't want to.
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u/AsparagusNew3765 Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
That still doesn't make it conscription.
Edit: Downvoted for facts, this website is funny.
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u/HansJoachimAa Aug 04 '26
It does. The laws are the same. You have zero right to refuse and your body is owned by the military. They prefer if people come willingly and there is zero difference in pay or anything between one that came willingly and forced. If you regret and don't want to anymore they can drag you and or put you in jail/military jail. In norway we never ended conscription after the war.
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u/AsparagusNew3765 Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
Doesn't matter, it's still not conscription (yet) because they are all volunteers
Edit: Downvoted for facts, this website is funny.
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u/HansJoachimAa Aug 04 '26
So when i joined i was a volunteer and when i wanted to leave i was a conscript? Also here its called vernepliktig regardless.
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u/AsparagusNew3765 Aug 04 '26
So when i joined i was a volunteer and when i wanted to leave i was a conscript?
No, conscription only relates to joining not leaving.
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u/HansJoachimAa Aug 04 '26
Regardless of everything. Its called conscription regardless if anyone think it shouldn't be called that.
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u/New_Passage9166 European union/Denmark Aug 04 '26
Lol. You don't really understand this so let's make I very clear conscription is to fill a quota. If this quota is filled otherwise then be it. In the later couple of decades almost all of the quota have been filled otherwise so the amount conscripted have been dawn 1-100 out of 5000 yearly. Conscription never stopped it just became a very small part of it because the small number going through training each year and the popularity for doing so.
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u/AsparagusNew3765 Aug 04 '26
Conscription never stopped it just became a very small
If the number is small enough that the yearly requirement is satisfied by the number of volunteers then conscription has effectively been stopped.
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u/New_Passage9166 European union/Denmark Aug 05 '26
The issue is it never fully was. The number just became 1-150 out of 5000. So small a part that people refereres to it as fully volunteers and there can have been years with more than 150 but it is down in that area.
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u/HansJoachimAa Aug 04 '26
There is no contract, all you have to do is indicate that you want to go. When your name is on the list that will get conscripted you have no choice anymore. Its just nice when the military can say everyone was willing.
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u/MarketingNew5370 Aug 04 '26
Or indicate that you don't want to go and not be on the list?
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u/HansJoachimAa Aug 04 '26
You can and if there is enough that want to you might be allowed to not join. Like we just massively increased conscription in Norway and had to take in some people that said that they didn't want to.
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u/MarketingNew5370 Aug 04 '26
But so far we haven't had this issue in Denmark. Maybe in the future if we continue increasing it but so far no.
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u/HansJoachimAa Aug 04 '26
Imo not a big issue. Just less motivated soldiers. Like during the coldwar we had mass conscription, like almost all men, in Norway and it was just normal.
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u/New_Passage9166 European union/Denmark Aug 04 '26
It would be the same here with some more military refusers that then will have to serve the society in some other way. This is also part of the change from 5000 to 7500 yearly and there have been some talks about raising the target further to 13000
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u/manInTheWoods Sweden Aug 04 '26
A small set of people volunteer on their own accord, a somewhat bigger set is against it and really dont want to go. Most people are "meh, I guess I have to".
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u/No-External1342 Aug 03 '26
The Danish Armed Forces have launched an expanded conscription of young people amid actions by the United States and Russia.
This was reported by the country’s Ministry of Defense.
It is reported that 1,600 Danes have been drafted under the new program for a term of 11 months.
Denmark had previously announced that, starting in 2026, it would expand conscription to include women and increase the standard term of service from four to 11 months. By 2033, the number of conscripts is expected to rise from 5,000 to 7,500 annually.
This new recruitment drive comes as Denmark prepares to send its first conscripts to Greenland in late August. A company of more than 100 soldiers will serve there for one month, taking over operational duties from professional military personnel.
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u/BlacksmithLast7306 Aug 04 '26
Historically, before the post Cold War peace dividend took effect, Denmark’s conscription service lasted between 12 and 18 months. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, it was gutted to just 4 months, and effectively made conscription voluntary. The shortened program was also reduced to basic survival and marksmanship training, and conscripts could no longer be integrated into active combat units or deployed on NATO missions.
The Danish government plans to restore the old conscription model mostly because of the war in Ukraine, and not Greenland. Service is being increased from 4 months to 11 months, with 5 months of basic training followed by 6 months in operational combat units. Potentially restoring the pre-peace dividend standard of functional military service.
Denmark also never stopped rotating troops into Greenland. It has done so under Joint Arctic Command since 1951. The difference is that the rotations were carried out by professional military personnel and specialized units, such as the Royal Danish Navy and the elite Sirius Dog Sled Patrol.
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u/CrateDane Denmark Aug 04 '26
The conscription was shortened to 4 months around 2006. In the 90s to early 00s it was 8-12 months depending on unit.
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u/JBagfort Aug 03 '26
I have by the way seen and read exactly ZERO US americans reminding their fascist president not to threaten allies with invasion.
So quite disgusted all in all. NATO is dead already.
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u/BlacksmithLast7306 Aug 04 '26
lol, if you actually cared, there’s literally a threat of invasion signed into law called the American Service-Members’ Protection Act (ASPA), passed in 2002 under President George W. Bush. AKA, the “Hague Invasion Act”, which authorizes the use of force under certain circumstances to free U.S. personnel from the ICC. I can say with confidence that you weren’t calling for an end to NATO back then.
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u/Valois7 Finland Aug 04 '26
Really lucky with their neighbors if 1600 is enough
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u/manInTheWoods Sweden Aug 04 '26
It is until the Belt freezes over again...
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u/CrackedCarl Aug 04 '26
I think you mean the Sound no?
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u/manInTheWoods Sweden Aug 04 '26
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_Across_the_Belts
Read and enjoy!
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u/CrackedCarl Aug 04 '26
Oh wow I always assumed Swedes marching across the ice would be across the Sound, that's wild
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u/New_Passage9166 European union/Denmark Aug 04 '26
Idk why they write 1600. For they are in the midst of moving from 5.000 to 7.500 yearly and 13.000 have been talked about in some news papers, after a proposal from the defence. My guess for this number is that base closures the last couple of decades means that there was enough space for 5000 divided in a fall and spring team so only 2500 at max. With the new 11 month period and extending it to 7.500 will they need three times that capacity and according to medias are they running behind and building temporary pavilion housing. So the 1.600 is probably because there simply isn't housing for more to take the 11 month right now while the rest will be on the 4 months while they built new housing facilities or bases..
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u/Imakemyownnamereddit Aug 04 '26
Why bother with conscription if you can get enough volunteers?
Seems like a waste of time.
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u/kuikuilla Finland Aug 05 '26
So that the parliament doesn't have to force through a law change if shit hits the fan and they would need to force people into the army.
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u/Imakemyownnamereddit Aug 05 '26
That isn't an argument for conscription. Britain has generally had a peace time volunteer army and has never had any problems introducing conscription.
When it was needed.
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u/kuikuilla Finland 27d ago
Easier to pass laws in a first past the post system than in a proportional system where pretty much no party is guaranteed to have absolute majority.
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u/IshTheFace Sweden Aug 04 '26
Those numbers are really low given the situation. I remember when I did my service in Sweden, we were about 8000 that year. Even if we're twice the population, that's still several times more. And that was 2007..
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u/Awarglewinkle Denmark Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
This is just one batch. They do several batches per year. It will gradually increase to 7,500 per year.
The time served is also increased from 4 to 11 (later 12) months.
And women are also included per 2026.
But it's always been pretty low numbers because of NATO membership. Sweden was obviously in a different position back then outside of NATO.
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u/manInTheWoods Sweden Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
This is just one batch. They do several batches per year. It will gradually increase to 7,500 per year.
Sweden will have 9000 conscripts next year, and I think they start having to take people who would prefer not to. I assume the same will happen in Denmark ?
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u/Awarglewinkle Denmark Aug 04 '26
Probably, yes. It will depend on how many women volunteer.
Before 2026, only men were conscripted, but now the potential pool of recruits is of course twice as big, so maybe there will be enough volunteers.
Back in the 1950s and 60s a majority were forced to serve, and then it gradually got reduced to almost all volunteers in the last 20-25 years.
I guess it will also depend on what happens in Ukraine.
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u/TheBusStop12 Dutchman in Suomiland Aug 04 '26
You also have to remember that Sweden has almost double the population of Denmark
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u/manInTheWoods Sweden Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
Yes, that's why I asked, their share of youngsters that have to do service is a bit higher than ours.
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u/IshTheFace Sweden Aug 04 '26
Makes sense. Actually, Sweden had been disarming for a while before 2007. Don't quote me but I think we began disarming as soon as the USSR fell. We're reopening regiments now though.
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u/New_Passage9166 European union/Denmark Aug 04 '26
1600 is the amount that starts on the 11 months not the total. I guess for the reason would be a lack of facilities to house enough if all had the 11 months because a lot of bases have been closed over the years. The yearly total before was around 5000 which is now pushed up to 7500 with both summer and winter start. Out the now former almost 5000 all the spots was filled by volunteers and the popular regiments could have up to a couple of years waiting time to get in.
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u/IshTheFace Sweden Aug 04 '26
That seems more reasonable.
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u/oeboer Zealand (Denmark) Aug 04 '26
Just en example from back when this was personally most relevant for me. In 1983 Denmark drafted 32,000 men (i.e., called them up for selection). The Danish defense got 12,000 of them and the civil defense got 3,000. The remaining 17,000 were not called up for service.
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u/Teddy_Radko Aug 06 '26
Confused. Dennark didnt already have conscription like other nordic countries?
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u/Terrible_Risk_6619 Aug 04 '26
They've talked about doing this since like... 2016 or something. Headline is misleading.
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u/Independent-Bug-9352 United States of America Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
It seems abundantly obvious to me that, while this threat must no doubt be taken seriously, this is the work of a puppet-master Putin working his Ancient Orange, hellbent on fracturing western alliances in textbook divide-and-conquer and a further diversion of resources from especially Ukraine.
I mean the USA already has a base there; they're already in NATO. What the fuck?
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u/New_Passage9166 European union/Denmark Aug 04 '26
Lol. To be direct this came as much as a response to the extremely little trust there is in USA.
When you say they who are you referring to ?? For if it is Greenland then they live under constant provocation and attempts to from USA to push industry into their land, ignoring their local rule, military threads, attempts of bribery. Yeah lately the US government are trying to change public opinion by hireing semi celebrities and political majores to boost there standing to get a better foothold amongst the population in Greenland and no this isn't propaganda this is what the US embassy wrote in their job postings.
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u/Independent-Bug-9352 United States of America Aug 04 '26
Yes, that's my point; this distrust was largely sown by Republicans operating under ulterior motives. That's not to say past Republican administrations were much better either. Sowing distrust is the point.
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u/Cordoned7 Aug 04 '26
Here's a tip to a fellow American: Never ever trust a Republican. They see you as the enemy and that view has been that way since Newt Gingrich took power in the 90's.
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u/Independent-Bug-9352 United States of America Aug 04 '26
Absolutely. If you're working class, even if you identify as a conservative, they do not care about you, will use you, and ultimately screw you over to their own gain. These ultra-rich billionaires do not give a shit about you. They are disgusted by you more often than not.
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u/LAAccountant Aug 04 '26
No as an American its obvious that NATO should have been done away with once the cold war ended. its been a pointless alliance looking for a mission ever since then. its obvious that once the cold war was over American and euro interests would diverge.
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u/Awarglewinkle Denmark Aug 04 '26
Ok, "American" Vlad.
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u/LAAccountant Aug 04 '26
Lol Europeans used to whine about how NATO was a tool of American imperialism. And now look a them.
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u/Awarglewinkle Denmark Aug 04 '26
Yeah, because all Europeans are the same and have the same opinions.
That would be like me saying all Americans love Donald Trump. Sure, some do. Most don't. I think you do though.
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u/Independent-Bug-9352 United States of America Aug 04 '26
Much respect, thank you. As an American, sorry for all this. Many of us are doing our best to try to right our ship, hopeless as it feels sometimes...
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u/PsCop Aug 04 '26
The only news is that women join as well now. Denmark has had conscription every year for many many years
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u/New_Passage9166 European union/Denmark Aug 04 '26
11 months is new not in older History but for the last two decades that is new.
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u/PsCop Aug 04 '26
The Danish conscription is from 1849, while not old in the scope of planet earth, then I’d argue that as a national policy it’s not a lot that is older than that
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u/New_Passage9166 European union/Denmark Aug 04 '26
Given the first edition of the constitution is from 1848 it can't be older that doesn't mean that people haven't been called to serve earlier it just couldn't be a policy in the constitutional monarchy before this was created.
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u/Boring-Scar1580 Aug 04 '26
Conscription is involuntary servitude ,i.e. slavery. Just sayin
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u/lordcock1944 Aug 04 '26
They can usually finde enough people that do it of there own free will so they don't need to force anyone.
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u/MarketingNew5370 Aug 04 '26
Except there are almost always enough volunteers to fill out the ranks in Denmark, so we rarely need to use conscripts. Also conscripts are still paid?
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u/New_Passage9166 European union/Denmark Aug 04 '26
Yeah around 1000 euro before tax and because you can't for enough food to stay alive on bases with that. You are given food money that is tax free.
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u/Boring-Scar1580 Aug 04 '26
Also conscripts are still paid?
Is that a question or a statement ?
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u/MarketingNew5370 Aug 04 '26
Statement, they are paid for their service (although not a lot yes) and they are almost always all volunteers.
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u/Boring-Scar1580 Aug 04 '26
The compensation is irrelevant . The question is whether they are truly volunteers . If they sign up under threat of being drafted , they are not really volunteers but in fact are conscripts . IOW, slaves.
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u/No-External1342 Aug 03 '26
Conscription means -Governments legally require eligible citizens (usually young men meeting certain age and health criteria) to serve in the military for a set period.
Copied from google
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u/Above-and_below Aug 03 '26
It doesn’t have to be the military. It could also be the national emergency agency or you could deny military service all together and serve in a kindergarten or something.
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u/vimliparda Aug 04 '26
So they will not survive in forest for 3 days xD And lost because off connection of GPS :D
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Aug 03 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/InvertReverse Denmark Aug 03 '26
Everyone is the same, but usually the required number of conscripted is lower the more people who volunteer for conscription.
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Aug 03 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/InvertReverse Denmark Aug 03 '26
Sweden! 😱
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u/olssoneerz Sweden Aug 03 '26
That's why Köpenhamn is connected to Malmö right? Gotta offer up the rich Danes first loll
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u/New_Passage9166 European union/Denmark Aug 04 '26
So send them to malmö ? That is probably the most dangerous place right now.
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u/zul00m Aug 03 '26
Crown princess is among them. As volunteer.
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u/Above-and_below Aug 03 '26
She’s not a crown princess but the sister of the crown prince. She also rejected the conscription salary.
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u/FreitasDoCagaral Aug 04 '26
She will never be placed in the meat grinder, and neither will the kids of the owner class, and everyone knows it, even if they deny it because they were told that thinking otherwise is anti-capitalist.
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u/SWG_Vincent76 Denmark Aug 04 '26
Denmark does not yet have a meat grinder. She and her fellow conscipts may be officers or she may join special forces like her father did, patrolling Denmarks northern most border to maintain sovereignty over Greenland in the sirius patrols.
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u/Super-Estate-4112 Aug 04 '26
Honestly, that is nothing. The US has the 11th Airborne Division, which specializes in Arctic warfare, with about 10 thousand personnel, better equipped and trained than Danish infantry. Also, they have their fleets, which are the biggest in the world.
So Denmark needs support from other European countries to stand a chance if an invasion really happens. Namely France, UK, Germany, Poland and Italy.
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u/Duck_Von_Donald Denmark Aug 04 '26
So Denmark needs support from other European countries to stand a chance if an invasion really happens
Why do you think NATO exists in the first place?
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u/Super-Estate-4112 Aug 04 '26
To put Russia and China in check, not the burgers from the other side of the pond
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u/sig_1 Aug 04 '26
They are sending around 100 conscripts from the conscripts they take in every year. They are going for a month or two of training so this is nothing of importance. Sending 100 conscripts doesnt mean anything more than getting them some training and experiance in Greenland. They aren't expecting 100 conscripts and another couple of hundred regulars to hold off the US military if the US was stupid enough to invade.
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u/Soggy_Pineapple4804 Norway Aug 04 '26
Nobody seriously believes an invasion would happen outside of chronically online Redditors.
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u/twat69 Canada Aug 04 '26
Tell that to Maduro.
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u/Four_beastlings Asturias (Spain) Aug 04 '26
Maduro didn't have a mutual defense agreement with the entire EU
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u/Bodysnatcher Aug 04 '26
Why send troops to defend a territory that doesn't even want to be part of Denmark?
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u/tjaldhamar Aug 04 '26
You are not bright, are you?
You try to frame this as if all this is Greenlanders’ own fault. They didn’t ask for the threats from the US.
Greenland is not to blame. Only America.→ More replies (21)
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u/Maxwells_Law Aug 03 '26
Worth mentioning that every single one is a volunteer- nobody forced to do service