Sweden reintroduces mandatory military service

Sweden announced on Wednesday that from 2018 it is reintroducing mandatory military service, eight years after its abolition, reports the Patria News Agency.

The Scandinavian country, which has not experienced any armed conflict on its territory for two centuries, abolished conscription in 2010, considering it not to be a good way to create a modern army.

"I hope we will find a way towards a more stable, functional and stronger way of recruitment," said Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist.

The new policy will affect Swedish young men born after 1999. It is expected that around 4,000 young men will be called up for military service each year after 2018. The minister explained that the number of volunteers is not sufficient to maintain a satisfactory quality of military training.

This decision should also be adopted by parliament, and it is expected that the left-wing government will receive the support of the center-right opposition.