The threat of war may not be imminent, but it is not impossible.” These unequivocal words spoken by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, illustrate well enough the drums of war that resound in the Old Continent. The former German Defense Minister has asked that Europe “take a step forward” in a context in which the risk of Vladimir Putin attacking an ally to test NATO keeps growing. Beyond the increase in investment, European partners are strengthening their armies. Germany praises the Swedish recruitment model. Could Spain consider recovering the military?
In January, it was 22 years since compulsory military service was abolished in Spain, thanks to a demand from former president Jordi Pujol to the government of José María Aznar. At the beginning of the century, according to a CIS study, 26% of Spaniards were “with all certainty” that they would not voluntarily participate in the defense of the country. In 2017 the figure rose to 40%. Since then, it has not been asked again for this matter.
Félix Arteaga, principal security and defense researcher at the Royal Elcano Institute, explains that it is logical for the Nordic countries with small populations to maintain the mandatory conscription system, because in view of the Russian threat, soldiers are needed to be deployed on the ground. But there is no shortage of troops here. In fact, in the processes of access to the armed forces, the cut-off marks keep rising: there is more demand than supply. However, as Arteaga points out, Spain could find it difficult to cover much more professional positions, such as in cyber security, which all experts point to as an emerging battleground. The Ministry of Defense continues to have as a pending subject the increase in uniformed salaries, so competing with the private company for these profiles is highly complicated.
General Fernando Alejandre, ex-chief of the Defense Staff between 2017 and 2020, reveals in a telephone conversation that he does not believe a return to massive mandatory military service is feasible, despite the fact that the war in Ukraine has highlighted the great differences between a country – Russia – that maintains it, compared to the Ukrainian model, which does not have it. There are eleven countries in Europe that maintain it, but with several peculiarities. The ex-chief of the General Staff of the Defense Alejandre records in his book Rey servido y patria honrada how most of the states that retain it do so as an element of “national cohesion”, but not for a real recruitment of the forces armed
In the ministry headed by Margarita Robles, they do not even consider opening the debate in Spain about the return of the military. A new front “unnecessary now” that would generate a lot of unpopularity. According to ministerial sources, they see in the German statement a simple warning in view of its lack of reservists.
In addition, a legislative reform of this dimension would not be exclusive to this department, but they point out, in any case, the president of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, who admitted in a television interview that for him, “honestly, the mili was a big waste of time”.
