The president of the Austrian Officers’ Society, Erich Cibulka, has called for Austria to explore the possibility of mandatory military service for women, a proposal that could bring the country in line with several European nations that have adopted or are moving toward gender-neutral conscription policies.
“We could think very innovatively and not limit conscription to male citizens,” Cibulka told Die Presse, as cited by Kurier. “In other words, introduce compulsory military service for women.”
Currently, Austrian men are required to serve six months in the armed forces or nine months in civilian service, while women may volunteer for basic training. Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) has so far rejected the idea of mandatory service for women. However, a special commission within the Austrian Armed Forces is reviewing possible reforms, with findings expected in the fall.
Cibulka also questioned the effectiveness of Austria’s current six-month military service, arguing it is too short to ensure readiness without further training. He proposed an “Austria Year” — a service model combining eight months of basic training with four months of exercises, spread out over a 12-year period. Citizens would fulfill the latter requirement through annual 10-day training intervals, to be completed by the time they turn 30.
Cibulka also suggested a system where volunteers fill ranks first, followed by the most suitable non-volunteers, while those not selected would instead perform civilian service.
Countries in Scandinavia are already ahead of the curve with the embracing of gender-neutral military service. Norway introduced universal conscription in 2015, becoming the first NATO country to require both men and women to serve.
In Sweden, conscription was abolished in 2010 but reinstated in 2018, this time including both sexes aged 18 and over. Service there ranges from six to 15 months, and about 20 percent of conscripts are women.
The Netherlands also legally extended conscription to women in 2020, though compulsory service itself has been suspended since 1997. In Israel, women have been required to serve since 1949, typically for two years compared to three for men.
Most recently, Denmark announced in March last year that women turning 18 after July 1 will be eligible for conscription starting in 2026. The change, brought forward by two years, was justified by increased concerns over security in Europe.