By Tom Little and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen
COPENHAGEN, July 1 (Reuters) – Denmark on Tuesday expanded its military service to include women, as the Nordic country seeks to recruit more soldiers and strengthen its defences amid heightened security concerns across Europe.
Under a law passed by Denmark’s parliament in June 2023, Denmark will require women turning 18 after July 1, 2025, to register for assessment days for potential military conscription, aligning with measures already in place for men.
Until now, women, who last year made up around 24% of all recruits, had been allowed to join the military on a voluntary basis.
“In the world situation we’re in right now, it’s necessary to have more conscripts, and I think that women should contribute to that equally, as men do,” Katrine, a recruit in the Danish Royal Life Guard, told Reuters without giving her last name.
Item 1 of 3 Volunteers in the Danish Royal Life Guards rest during a training exercise in Hovelte, Denmark, June 11, 2025. REUTERS/Tom Little//File Photo
[1/3] Volunteers in the Danish Royal Life Guards rest during a training exercise in Hovelte, Denmark, June 11, 2025. REUTERS/Tom Little//File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab
In Denmark, volunteers are signed up first for conscription, while the remaining numbers are drawn up in a lottery system.
The armed forces are in the process of making adjustments in barracks and equipment better suited for women.
“There are different things that they need to improve, especially in terms of equipment. Right now, it’s made for men, so perhaps the rucksacks are a bit too large and the uniforms are large as well,” said Katrine.