Belgium May Resume Compulsory Military Service
RIA Novosti, Brussels, January 23 - Belgian Army Chief Jean-Paul Bony said that Belgium may resume the conscription system that was suspended in the 1990s.
Bony said in an interview with German RTL Television: "This could indeed happen. It will depend on the level of threat. The government did not cancel the conscription system in the 1990s, but only suspended it, and considered that it might need to be restored at some point in the future."
He also emphasized that the size of the Belgian army is very small and cannot match a large military force like the Russian one.
Bony explained: "This is exactly why we joined NATO ... It is very strong, so we will not leave ... This allows our country to invest fewer resources than if we were acting alone."
In November 2025, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said that the Belgian Ministry of Defense had sent letters to 149,000 17-year-old youths, advising them to enlist and serve in the voluntary military service.
Francken said in August last year that Belgium would reintroduce the voluntary conscription system to prepare citizens for potential high-intensity conflicts.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1855121999492105/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself.