Military Service Reform Is on the Horizon

More Money for Soldiers, Mess-Up with Civilian Service

Experts fear the reform could backfire.(Bild: P. Huber)

Military service reform is set! As expected, the six-month basic military service will be expanded to include three months of mandatory reserve training. Civilian service will remain at nine months for the time being. All key points in detail.

In the first year of the reform, starting January 1, 2027, there will be the option to voluntarily extend civilian service by two months. After twelve months, the new model will be evaluated, and, if necessary, the alternative service will also be extended on a mandatory basis.

Opposition Approval Required
The major problem here is that this requires a constitutional majority and thus the approval of an opposition party. The government wants to include this automatic provision in the legislation and has announced talks with the FPÖ and the Greens. The FPÖ had been willing to agree to the “Austrian model” favored by the Military Service Commission, which consists of eight months of basic military service, two months of reserve training, and twelve months of civilian service. Whether it will go along with the compromise that has now been reached is questionable.

Experts fear the reform could backfire.(Bild: P. Huber)

Significantly More Money for Basic Military Service Personnel
To counteract the feared increase in conscripts opting for civilian service, the monthly pay for basic military service personnel will be raised from 600 to 1,000 euros. In addition, soldiers will receive vacation days. It is not yet clear how this will be financed. After all, the “6 plus 100” model already costs more than the “Austrian model.”

Starting in 2028, civilian service could be extended on a mandatory basis
In addition, a kind of “emergency brake” (military service guarantee) will be introduced starting in 2028: If the annual number of conscripts falls below 15,000 by more than 7.5 percent, civilian service will be permanently extended by two months (9+2) starting the following year. The additional two months will be completed—in agreement with the host organization—at the respective facility and are intended to be flexible in terms of scheduling.

Completing training in several phases
A portion of the mandatory training (troop exercises) will take place immediately following the core basic military service; subsequent militia exercises must then be completed within ten years. This corresponds to the so-called tiered model proposed by the experts of the Military Service Commission.

Military Fears Weakening, Government Expects Strengthening of the Army
Military circles view this solution with great skepticism. They fear a weakening of national defense rather than the strengthening that the reform was actually intended to achieve. Government leaders expressed satisfaction with the compromise reached. Chancellor Christian Stocker, Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler, and Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger unanimously emphasized that Austria’s defense capabilities would be strengthened.

The chairman of the Military Service Commission, Erwin Hameseder, who was present at the presentation, saw “a significant improvement,” even though he would have preferred the “Austrian model.” “It doesn’t exactly fill me with enthusiasm, but it’s a step in the right direction.”