Danish Women Added to Military Conscription Lottery 

Beginning Tuesday, Danish women will join men in the lottery system used for selecting individuals for 11 months of mandatory military service once they turn 18, the BBC reported.

Until now, Danish women could take part in the military service voluntarily upon reaching 18 years old.  

Now, both women and men are required to register for conscription under a new law. 

Volunteers will be enlisted first, while the remaining spots will be filled through the national lottery starting in January 2026. The change also increases the period of conscription for teenagers from four to 11 months. 

The change was enacted two years earlier than expected due to growing security concerns in Europe, Deutsche Welle explained.  

In March, the Danish government also announced an almost $5.9 billion increase in defense spending to meet NATO targets.  

Denmark is the latest country in Europe to shore up conscription. Its neighbors, Sweden and Norway, both brought back universal conscription in the past decade.  

About 4,700 Danes served in the military last year, with about 24 percent of them female volunteers. The change in conscription is expected to increase the number of people serving in the military annually to 6,500 by 2033.