RTL Today - 'The choice must always remain with the individual': Majority of Luxembourg's political parties against reintroduction of mandatory military service

A renewed discussion on mandatory military service has prompted widespread scepticism among Luxembourg's political parties, with many advocating for alternative solutions.

The Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR), the Green Party (Déi Gréng), and the Left Party (Déi Lénk) have joined the Pirate Party and the Luxembourg Communist Party (KPL) in officially opposing the potential reintroduction of mandatory military service.

LSAP Co-Party President Dan Biancalana emphasised his party's long-standing opposition to mandatory military service, noting that they continue to advocate for a professional army with well-trained personnel. He urged Minister of Defence Yuriko Backes to clarify her stance on the matter, given that several parties have now shared their positions.

Minister Backes, a Democratic Party (DP) member, stated in an earlier newspaper interview that mandatory military service is not part of the coalition agreement and is not currently being discussed. Meanwhile, the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) indicated in a response to our colleagues from RTL.lu that it is internally debating the issue and will provide its position at a later date.

ADR President Alexandra Schoos acknowledged the relevance of discussing the matter in light of the current geopolitical climate. However, she reaffirmed the ADR's support for voluntary military service and its opposition to reinstating a compulsory system. Schoos added that if mandatory service were to be considered, the party would prefer a model similar to the abolished German system, where individuals could choose between military or civil service. She also highlighted the potential benefits of such a system for addressing staff shortages in sectors like healthcare.

The ADR's youth wing, ADRenalin, has also joined the conversation by advocating for the introduction of voluntary programmes rather than mandatory service.

For the Green Party, the priority lies in professionalising the military, according to Co-Party President Stéphanie Empain. Empain stated that the reintroduction of mandatory military service is neither a suitable response to current geopolitical challenges nor a solution to recruitment issues within Luxembourg's army. She emphasised that joining the military should remain a personal choice, rejecting the notion of "imposing this burden on young people" through rushed political decisions. Instead, the Green Party supports making the military an attractive career option to encourage voluntary enlistment. "But the choice must always remain with the individual," Empain stressed.

Similarly, the Left Party opposes mandatory military service. André Marques, a member of the party's national coordination, pointed to the Ombudsman for Children's Rights' recent report highlighting significant mental health challenges among Luxembourg's youth. Marques argued that forcing young people to serve in the military for one or two years would only add to their burdens. Instead, the Left Party calls for addressing the root causes of youth distress, including the lingering impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, the climate crisis, and the housing crisis.

The Pirate Party and the Communist Party have also publicly rejected the idea of mandatory military service.

Meanwhile, the Police and Army Union expressed openness to discussions on the matter. The FOKUS party advocates for introducing a mandatory civil service as an alternative to military conscription.