Denmark to begin conscripting women for military in rare move

Denmark plans to conscript women for military service, the Danish government revealed on March 13, becoming one of just a few countries requiring women to serve in the armed forces.

"More robust conscription, including full gender equality, must contribute to solving defence challenges, national mobilization and manning our armed forces," said Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen at a press conference, Politico reports.

Women in Denmark can already volunteer for military service. In 2023, they made up about a quarter of the cohort.

Denmark is now the third country in Europe to introduce female conscription. Norway and Sweden did so in 2015 and in 2017, respectively.

The Danish Army consists of 7,000 to 9,000 professional troops, excluding conscripts undergoing basic training, according to official figures. Compulsory military service applies to men over the age of 18. However, because there are enough volunteers, not all young men are conscripted. Instead, a lottery is held.

Speaking beside Poulsen, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Denmark would extend the serving period for both men and women from four to 11 months as part of an overhaul of the country's military. It will also invest in land-based air defence systems and an infantry brigade of up to 6,000 soldiers by 2028.

"We are not rearming in Denmark because we want war, destruction, or suffering. We are rearming right now to avoid war and in a world where the international order is being challenged," Frederiksen said.

Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the moves were being made as a form of deterrence.

While “Russia does not pose a threat to Denmark," Rasmussen said, “ we will not bring ourselves to a place where they could come to do that.”

The Nordic country is a founding NATO member and an important supporter of Ukraine in its effort to fend off Russia's full-scale invasion. Copenhagen is one of a handful of countries supplying Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets, which are set to be delivered this summer.

Denmark spent around 1.4 per cent of its gross domestic product on defence last year, but will boost its defence spending by €5.4 billion over the next five years to meet NATO's 2 per cent target.