Denmark introduces compulsory military service for women

In Denmark, compulsory military service has so far only applied to men aged 18 and over. Even after the changes, only part of a year group will still be called up. Last year, it was decided that basic military service in Denmark would be extended from four to eleven months from August 2026.

This makes Denmark the second EU country to have compulsory military service for women. This has been the case in Sweden since 2017, while Norway, which is a member of NATO but not the EU, also requires women to perform military service.