Status of military service in Sweden
In 2017, Sweden reinstated compulsory military service, extending it to men and women after it was abolished in 2010. However, most young people who reach the age of majority are not called up for do the service, since there are enough volunteers, and, otherwise, a lottery is held.
The Swedish Armed Forces are facing the challenge of recruiting enough young people for military service, especially due to the expected increase in the number of recruits. The Swedish Recruitment Agency has increased the number of places to 8,000, with plans to call for up to 10,000 places or more in the coming years.
Medical requirements and disqualifications
More than half of the young people are not considered eligible to join the Swedish Armed Forces, mainly for medical reasons. 64% of young people were disqualified last year, especially due to physical and mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety or attention deficit disorders.
These medical restrictions have generated a debate about whether the requirements for entry into the armed forces are too high, considering that more than half of the young men do not meet the established criteria.
Similarities with Denmark
Denmark also faces similar problems with military conscription. Recently, the Danish government announced plans to increase the number of conscriptions, marking the first time that military service would be compulsory for women, extending the duration from four to eleven months.
In Denmark, 56.6% of eighteen-year-old men were rejected for military service last year, an alarming figure as well. Medical restrictions have caused a similar challenge to Sweden’s and have led to an increase in the length of military service to try to compensate for the shortage of personnel.