July 27, 2026, 5:15 p.mJuly 27, 2026, 5:15 p.m
Austria wants to extend military service by three months to a total of nine months in the future. The Austrian federal government announced a corresponding decision. The agreement was preceded by a long struggle between the coalition partners. The three-party coalition now wants to approach the right-wing FPÖ and the Greens in parliament, as the change requires a two-thirds majority. It is scheduled to come into force on January 1, 2027.
Military service is currently six months.Image: www.imago-images.de
Specifically, according to the information, three months of mandatory militia exercises will be added to basic military service. The government made up of the conservative ÖVP, the social democratic SPÖ and the liberal Neos is essentially following the recommendations of a commission of experts. The reason for the move is the security situation, which has completely changed since Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine.
Community service from 2028 up to eleven months
Initially, the change has no consequences for the current nine-month community service. In 2027, this service could be voluntarily extended by two months, it was said. From 2028, community service will be mandatorily extended by this period if certain key figures are missed when recruiting basic military personnel, the government also announced.
Austria is militarily neutral and not a NATO member. Like Germany, the country has long neglected its defense capabilities. (hkl/sda/dpa)