Sweden plans to reintroduce compulsory military service from 2018, eight years after it was abolished. “I hope that we are going to find a path to a more stable, robust and functional means of recruitment,” the defence minister, Peter Hultqvist, said. The policy will affect Swedes born after 1999, according to a report by a former member of parliament for the defence ministry. The measure is expected to be adopted by parliament, subject to agreement between the leftist government and the centre-right opposition. Sweden is not a Nato member but has signed the organisation’s partnership for peace programme launched in 1994 to develop military cooperation between Nato and non-member countries.

Source: The Guardian September 28, 2016 17:12 UTC