To put it in perspective: the USA has it (but dormant as it was last used in the 60s) now, instead part of an automatic register. I’ve heard that last year Germany for example proposed to impose a mandatory, volunteer-focused military service model on boosting defense against threats like Russia but would you really enlist in the German Army (Bundeswehr) or refuse instead of adhereing to politicians interests?
I’ve heard a similar thing in France with them introducing a new voluntary 10-month military service program for 18-19 year olds starting this summer 2026, but would guys there be willing to enlist or outright refuse? What ever the case is, would guys in Europe either accept voluntary military service imposed by their nation or refuse to enlist as they know that politicians are the ones who instigate wars in the first place?
For EU nations that still have the draft enforced (mandatory conscription): what happens if guys refuse it? Do they end up in jail? In that case, would you rather be imprisoned for refusing or comply? I know that some countries have alternative service (civic) rather than conventional military service, but what happens if the individual refuses either? I mean, is it a criminal offense for simply refusing conscription?
We already have military conscription here in lithuania, along with the voluntary service
I did get conscripted to it (and didn’t have to do it, on account of failing my medical exams), but prior to that, my opinion on military service was more or less that I wouldn’t join the military if the call was for some war in the middle east, but if russia ever started throwing more than illegal planes and spy drones over the border and something had to be done about it, then I would’ve been more likely to, I suppose ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I live in Japan and can’t be drafted as a non-citizen. Living here, I’m not sure what either of my citizenship countries could do to actually draft me. Also in my mid-40s, colorblind, and with several parts of me held together by screws and plates, so I’m not exactly at the top of any list.
Swede here, we had conscription when I came of age, so I was called to muster.
I went, and promptly failed the first test, the hearing test, I got a pass and didn’t have to do it.
At the time I was glad, I was scared, I didn’t want to do it, these days I think it would have been a valuable experience.
Anyway, I believe Sweden is worth fighting for, should we come under attack, I would get in touch with the civil defense and do my part.
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Not sure about today, a few years after I mustered conscription was stopped, then for 15 years or so, we had no conscription, but a few years ago it was reinstated.
If you were selected back when most men was conscripted, you had the option to pick a weapon free service, you still had to serve, but in the civilian world, say like a firefighter or similar. Complete refusal would eventually lead to prison time.
When I mustered, they were completely open with the fact that if you didn’t want to do it, it would be taken into account, and mostly respected, depending on the circumstances.
They didn’t really want people who didn’t want to be there.
Switzerland: my dad had to go to prison for a limited time for refusing military service and had to do an alternative service as well.
I was able to opt-out military in a normal way (just filling a form) and do the alternative service without going to jail, as this was changed in the time between
But the alternative service are 1.5x times the days you have to serve
I did participate in my mandatory military conscription. Was excited for it. Learned some habits that I’m sure have helped me since. Alternative would’ve been jail, which sounded like an overall bad idea.
There are pacifist roles (medics, firefighters, …) for those that don’t want to handle a gun.
I mean, Finland does have conscription, but I was exempt from it for peacetime for medical reasons and if that hadn’t been an option I probably would’ve done civil service instead. In both cases I’d technically still be subject to draft in wartime, though probably wouldn’t be put into a combat role.
That being said, I don’t know if I would seek to flee abroad if the draft did go into action. Putting my life on the line to defend the neoliberal world order against an only somewhat worse (Russian) world order is not an enticing prospect, and my faith in the Finnish and European system becoming anything but neoliberal is at an all time low.
