Lorraine Williamson
Would Spain ever bring back compulsory military service? It’s a question resurfacing in political and defence circles as Europe braces for a new era of insecurity. With neighbours such as Germany, France and Italy redesigning or reviving conscription models, the conversation is inevitably landing in Spain — even if Madrid insists nothing is changing.
Across the continent, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced governments to reassess their defence capabilities. Countries that scrapped conscription decades ago are now scrambling to rebuild their reserves and train larger numbers of young adults.
Europe redraws the map of national service
Europe’s return to military preparedness marks one of the most significant shifts in defence policy since the 1990s.
Germany is rolling out a revamped system in which every 18-year-old will be registered for potential mobilisation — a hybrid model combining universal registration with selective call-ups. France’s approach is milder, leaning towards short periods of civic-military training. Italy is studying a voluntary national service with military and social components.
All three share a common motivation: to strengthen reserves, reinforce readiness, and plug the widening gap between operational needs and available manpower.
Spain sticks to professionalisation — for now
Spain diverges from this trend. Compulsory service, once known as la mili, has been suspended since 2001 and remains politically unpopular. The Ministry of Defence continues to signal confidence in the professionalised model introduced in the early 2000s, arguing that the current force structure is capable of meeting Spain’s security needs.
Officials point out that Spain participates in major NATO missions, maintains adequate troop levels, and benefits from a long-established framework of professional soldiers and specialised units.
In short: no shift, no draft, and no plan to revive it.
Growing interest in a voluntary ‘mili’
Yet the debate is shifting quietly behind the scenes. Some former officers, reservists and defence analysts say Spain’s reserve force is too small and ageing rapidly. They argue that a short-term voluntary training programme — paid, structured, and open to young adults — could both strengthen emergency response capacity and reintroduce civic-service values.
Supporters note that Spain’s reservist numbers lag behind other NATO members, leaving gaps in disaster response, cyber-security units and home-defence capabilities.
They frame voluntary service not as a prelude to forced conscription, but as a pragmatic step to modernise the reserve system.
Why a return to conscription faces tough obstacles
Critics, however, see the idea as aspirational at best. Defence budgets are already under pressure, and voluntary training schemes would require investment in instructors, infrastructure and salaries. Military pay in Spain remains low, often failing to compete with the private sector, one of the reasons recruitment struggles persist.
There is also the memory of the old system. Spain’s pre-2001 conscription was cost-efficient but widely regarded as ineffective for modern defence demands. Analysts argue that professionalisation, not mass mobilisation, has improved Spain’s operational capability over the past two decades.
For these voices, any attempt to reinstate conscription — voluntary or otherwise — risks draining resources from areas where the army needs them most.
A continental trend, but not a policy shift in Spain
As Europe confronts a more unstable world, calls for strengthened reserves will likely continue. Spain is watching these developments closely, but the government remains firm: no compulsory service, no draft revival, and no structural overhaul on the horizon.
What may change is public perception. If Europe keeps rearming and the continent’s security environment deteriorates further, a voluntary training scheme — once unthinkable — could eventually find political space.
For now, though, the Spain military conscription debate lives largely in opinion columns, not government policy. La mili remains a memory, not a mandate.