Denmark introduces mandatory military service for women

The Danish Ministry of Defense has announced that women will be included in mandatory military service and that this policy will come into effect in 2026.

As reported by Habertürk, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated in his remarks on the matter, "In the current defense and security policy situation, the armed forces need to recruit more people."

Poulsen underscored that the policy is a critical step for gender equality, stating, "Therefore, July 2025 is an important date for ensuring full equality between men and women."

Accordingly, women turning 18 after July 1, 2025, will be required to participate in the annual lottery system to determine whether they will be included in mandatory military service. This practice is already in place for men.

Danish Chief of Defense Michael Hildgord emphasized that the country must deploy its "full combat power," noting that the conscription of women will become mandatory within this scope.

Meanwhile, Denmark has decided to significantly increase its defense spending in response to the growing threat from Russia. According to the plan announced in February, the country will allocate an additional 6.8 billion euros to the defense budget in 2026 and 2027. The figure for the previous year was announced as 5.4 billion euros.