Austrian government agrees to extend mandatory military service

The Austrian governing coalition has agreed on a new model to extend military service, Yannick Shetty, leader of the New Austria and Liberal Forum (NEOS), announced on Tuesday.

Under the proposed reform, the current six-month basic training will be immediately followed by one month of active drills. Conscripts will then complete the remaining two months of reserve training at a later date.

Currently, military service in Austria is limited strictly to six months of basic training.

To pass the reform, the coalition requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament, meaning it must secure votes from the opposition.

The largest opposition party, the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), is calling for an even longer extension of both military and civilian service.

The Austrian Greens, on the other hand, remain opposed to the planned changes.

Austria is not the only country in Europe making changes to its conscription system in response to the war in Ukraine and perceived security threats from Russia.

Latvia reinstated mandatory military service in 2024 after a nearly two-decade hiatus. Croatia, following a 17-year hiatus, reintroduced mandatory two-month basic training for men starting in January 2026.

Denmark implemented a comprehensive reform starting in 2026. Military service will be drastically extended from four to eleven months.

Similarly, in Germany, which suspended a draft in 2011, a new model has emerged.

Under the new Military Service Act passed under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, conscription was not fully reinstated, but it was comprehensively reformed.

Starting in 2026, all 18-year-old men will be required to complete a digital questionnaire on physical fitness and military readiness.

Based on the responses, candidates will be invited to a physical examination in, with the goal of recruiting approximately 20,000 volunteers each year.