end of The Cold War It brought about the gradual abolition of compulsory military service in many countries. Europethe withdrawal of the threat of a major war from the continent and a new armed forces model Definitely professional, with fewer soldiers but more prepared. Thirty years later, however, the trend is starting to change. awakening russian imperialismwith the first blow Crimea and donbas The occupation of the rest of Ukraine in 2014 and more recently has put many European countries into consideration. save the army, either in its most universal version, or in hybrid models, such as those prevailing in Scandinavia. As a result, Europe is not only rearming, but also expanding its barracks.
this week Latvia He took action to reclaim his mandatory military service, which he abolished when he joined NATO thirty years ago. The proposal has already been approved by the Government and only needs to be approved by Parliament. With the usual exceptions for certain profiles, recruitment will be mandatory for all men between the ages of 18 and 27 and voluntary for women from 2028. A high percentage of the population of Russian descent living in it seeks to increase the military readiness of its population.
“The military system we have in Latvia has reached its limits,” said the Defense Minister. Artis Pabriks, also announced plans to build a second military base in the country. And at the same time we don’t have There is no reason to think that Russia will change your behavior”. The country currently has only 7,500 active military personnel, supported by 1,500 people from NATO. The goal is for the figure to rise to 50,000. Elisabeth Braw, a military analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, said: “No one can keep Russia out of a country like Latvia alone. “What it can do is make it much more difficult for the invader to fail to achieve their goals,” he says.
Quota recruitment
Following in Riga’s footsteps LithuaniaPartially reinstated military service in 2015, shortly after Moscow first disrupted Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Your system is different. set one annual recruitment fee full of volunteers and young people selected by lottery. This quota was increased in June and here is your government’s plan: moving towards a model of universal conscriptionAnother sign of the anxiety posed by Russian aggression in the Baltic. On another part of its coast, Poland has formed a military contingent of paid volunteers, one of the measures it plans to double its army.
The army also expanded in 2017 in Norway, another of the countries bordering Russia. military service for women. Its system is selective and based on quotas, allowing it to select the most motivated and qualified youth. Two years later Sweden He reinstated conscription, similar to the one in Norway, and has been struggling since it ended the tax in 2010 due to not having enough professional soldiers. “The Norwegian model is one of the best working models. “You no longer need to enlist everyone or have huge infantry units because the way you conduct wars has changed,” says Braw.
Seven countries never abolished the army
Actually, Holland It announced in April that it would review the Scandinavian quota recruitment model, given the serious difficulties it faces in attracting professional military Unsurprisingly, it currently has around 9,000 vacancies, according to its media, roughly a quarter of its armed forces’ organizational chart. And the discussion also reached Germanylike this Spain, Italy anyone France After the end of the Cold War, he abolished compulsory military service. A military service carried out in only seven European countries: DenmarkEstonian, FinlandCyprus, GreeceAustria and Switzerland.
carten linnemannOne of the leaders of the conservative CDU, now in opposition, said in April that reinstating the service would be “very good” for society, while some lawmakers from the ruling SPD called for a debate. was opened immediately.
Source: Informacion
Brandon Hall is an author at “Social Bites”. He is a cultural aficionado who writes about the latest news and developments in the world of art, literature, music, and more. With a passion for the arts and a deep understanding of cultural trends, Brandon provides engaging and thought-provoking articles that keep his readers informed and up-to-date on the latest happenings in the cultural world.