Denmark to Enlist Women in Military Draft for the First Time

Denmark will conscript women into the armed forces for the first time as it expands conscription to respond to Europe’s changing security climate, with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen citing the need to increase the number of young people doing military service. Conscripts, both men and women, will be expected to serve 11 months, an increase from the current four months, and the country plans to boost its defense budget by 40.5 billion Danish crowns over the next five years. The move comes amid concerns about security in Europe, with neighboring countries like Sweden and Norway also having introduced military conscription for both men and women in recent years.