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Denmark Enacts Mandatory Military Service for Women

The policy sets the stage for an eleven-month service term starting in 2026.

Deux femmes militaires lors d'exercices près de la caserne de l'armée royale danoise à Hovelte, au nord de Copenhague en juin 2025.
Une femme membre des forces armées participe à un exercice dans une zone d'entraînement près de Hovelte, au Danemark, le 11 juin.
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Overview

  • On July 1, women over 18 have become subject to Denmark’s universal draft, joining male peers in mandatory service.
  • All 18-year-olds will undergo a “Day of Defense” evaluation with medical, psychotechnical and motivation tests before conscript selection by lottery.
  • The government plans to increase the compulsory service term from four to eleven months in 2026 to strengthen military readiness.
  • Annual conscript training is set to rise to 6,500 by 2033, representing a 40 percent increase over current levels.
  • Critics warn the expansion risks over-militarizing youth, while Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen contends it is needed to counter a growing Russian threat.