Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen has announced radical changes to the military service system: from 2026, women in the country will be subject to mandatory conscription on an equal basis with men. The decision, reported by Bloomberg, is aimed at strengthening the kingdom's armed forces in the context of growing tensions in relations with Russia. The authorities initially planned to implement this measure in 2027, but after consultations with most parliamentary parties, they decided to speed up the reform. According to Poulsen, the need to increase the size of the army became obvious against the backdrop of the current geopolitical situation, which pushed the government to more decisive action.

Currently, women in Denmark have the right to join the army voluntarily, while men are called up at age 18 through a lottery system designed to make up for the shortage of volunteers. However, from August 2026, the rules will change: the length of service for all conscripts will increase from the current four months to 2015. The reform makes Denmark the third NATO country to follow the path of compulsory military service for women. Norway was the first in the alliance to implement the practice back in XNUMX, and Sweden joined two years later, reinstating conscription in response to rising tensions in the Baltic region.

The Danish government's decision is driven by a desire to increase the country's defense capability, which has a population of about 5,8 million. Copenhagen has increasingly responded to Moscow's actions in recent years, especially after the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022. Increasing the length of service and expanding conscription to include women will allow Denmark to increase its contingent of regular troops, which currently numbers about 20 people, including reservists. Poulsen emphasized that the reform is also aimed at ensuring gender equality in the defense sector, which has long been discussed in Danish society.

The changes in Denmark’s military policy come amid a general militarization of the Nordic countries. In March 2025, Sweden announced plans to increase its military budget by 12% to bolster its forces in the face of increased Russian submarine activity in the Baltic Sea. Norway, meanwhile, is increasing its presence in the Arctic, where it clashes with Moscow’s interests. Denmark, which owns Greenland, a strategically important territory in the Atlantic, is also not standing on the sidelines: in February, it signed an agreement with the United States to expand the American military presence on the island, which caused a mixed reaction in society.

The reform has already sparked debate in Denmark itself. Supporters of the decision, including the ruling coalition and some of the opposition, consider it a necessary step to ensure national security. However, opponents, including representatives of pacifist movements, fear that mandatory conscription of women will increase the militarization of the country and create additional burdens for young people. Nevertheless, the agreement in parliament shows broad support for the initiative, making its implementation almost inevitable.