In a notable shift, left‑wing parties in both Sweden and Finland have moved to publicly support the re‑introduction of mandatory military service. The Swedish Left party, which voted to retain the draft after the centre‑right coalition ended conscription in 2010, now backs the system that was reinstated by the Social Democratic government in 2017. Its former leader, now a Member of the European Parliament, argues that defence functions as a collective insurance policy for society and stresses the need for an inclusive, gender‑balanced conscript army.

Swedish conscription in practice

Each year roughly 100,000 Swedish eighteen‑year‑olds undergo screening, yet only about five per cent of the most motivated are selected for service. Surveys suggest that half of Swedes of military age would be willing to fight if war broke out. The Swedish armed forces have also taken part in Pride parades, a move presented as genuine inclusion rather than superficial marketing.

Finland’s universal draft and left‑wing endorsement

Finland continues to operate a universal male draft, with about one million Finns having completed at least 165 days of service. The country can mobilise around 280,000 troops from a reserve pool of 900,000 in a population of 5.6 million, and four out of five Finns say they would personally take part in national defence if attacked. The Finnish left‑wing party, led by a former education minister who now sits in the European Parliament, links security policy to welfare, labour‑market and education measures, warning that compulsory service would be difficult without strong social cohesion and trust.

Germany’s dormant conscription clause and public backlash

German law contains a provision that would restore conscription if volunteer numbers fall below set thresholds, although the clause remains inactive. Since December 2025, tens of thousands of high‑school students have staged strikes to oppose the proposal. At the same time, the German chancellor announced a reduction of about €19 billion to public health insurance funding, a move criticised for potentially weakening the social cohesion needed for a legitimate defence force.

Rising defence budgets across Europe

European governments are planning to raise defence spending to roughly €800 billion annually by 2030, with many aiming to meet NATO’s 2 % of GDP target and several setting sights on 3 % or higher. Germany plans to allocate 3.5 % of its GDP to defence by 2030. The debate over conscription now involves social‑democratic parties as well as defence ministries, reflecting a broader view that defence spending should be linked to climate and housing policy to reduce regressive impacts on low‑income households.

Broader political context

The UK Labour Party has expressed openness to a form of national service, though not full conscription, while French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested expanding the national service concept to include civilian projects. These discussions underline a continental trend of integrating defence responsibilities with wider social policy objectives.