Compulsory military service for women? Austria's new debate causes a stir!
Compulsory military service for women? Austria's new debate causes a stir!
Österreich - The discussion about a possible introduction of compulsory military service for women has started in Austria. Erich Cibulka, President of the Austrian Officer Society, has clearly spoken out for such a regulation. This is done in a context in which Denmark, as the second EU country, has already introduced conscription for women; From 2026, young Danes have to compete. In Sweden and Norway, too, conscription is a reality for women. Cibulka argues that the Austrian Armed Forces must become more flexible and that the most suitable people should choose independently of gender in order to increase military operational readiness, such as 5min.at reported.
In contrast to Cibulka's position, Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP), who speaks against a mandatory compulsory compulsory for women. It refers to existing inequalities in many areas of life and emphasizes the need to tackle them first. Women in Austria have been able to voluntarily do basic military service since April 2023; By April 2025, 489 women have used this opportunity, while around 16,000 men do their basic military service.Current numbers and developments in the Bundesheer
The integration of women in the army has developed steadily since 1998. There are currently 810 active soldiers on duty, which corresponds to a share of only 4.6%, while a target of 15% is sought. The discussion about a possible extension of the basic military service from six to eight months is also underway. An expert commission checks this measure, which is supported by militia officer Erwin Hateser because of the changed security policy situation. Cibulka also proposes an alternative model of an “Austria year” that would enable young adults to choose between military service and community service. ESTA formation of civil servants in social areas such as rescue, geriatric care and disabled people is an important social role, even if 11,798 men currently perform civil service.
The compulsory military service for women is not only a hotly discussed topic in Austria. In Germany, Inspector Carsten Breuer also proposes to expand compulsory military service to women. The background for this proposal is the shortage of skilled workers in the Bundeswehr, which forces the federal government to find new ways to strengthen the armed forces. A new military service model has already been presented by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, but has so far only included a basic military service of six months with the possibility of voluntary extension by 17 months. The goal is to increase the commitment of the Bundeswehr in the event of a defense, not least against the background of 100,000 reservists, such as rnd.de
conscription worldwide: A look at the borders
The debate about conscription for women is not only limited to Austria and Germany. It is already practiced in several countries. In Israel, men have to do three years and women for two years, with a current legal regulation of ultra -orthodox Jews. In the Ivory Coast, mandatory service has also been legally defined for men and women since 2002, even if this is not enforced in practice. Eritrea obliges men and women to 16 months, Cuba demands two years from both sexes, while in North Korea women do five and men for ten years. The Chad has an obligation of one year for women. Norway has had a gender -neutral military service since 2015, and in Sweden, all between 16 and 70 years have also been served in Sweden. In Germany, compulsory military service has been suspended, but anchored in the Basic Law, which means that an expansion to women requires a change in the Basic Law that requires a two -thirds majority in the Bundestag and Federal Council.
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