Spain's 2001 law allows drafting 19-25 year olds
A 2001 military law permits conscription of 19-25 year olds if professional soldiers are insufficient. With 811,500 Moroccans registered in Spain, the debate ignites: who would go?
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
When conscription returns without being repealed: the priority age group
The Military Career Law, passed in 2001, never fully slept. Article 46 states that if professional soldiers are not enough, compulsory recruitment will be activated. And the order is clear: the first called will be men and women between 19 and 25 years old. ABC recalled this a few days ago when analyzing the scenario of a hypothetical entry of Spain into war. The news, initially behind a paywall, soon went viral on forums and social networks.
Against whom and with what troops?
The debate is not abstract. The Spanish Armed Forces have about 120,000 professional troops, but NATO demands capabilities that require more. With a context of tensions in the East and the southern flank, the recurring question is who would shoulder a rifle. According to the legal text, without gender distinction, and with conscientious objection limited to not using weapons, not to not serving. In the discussion, figures such as the 811,530 Segarro registered in Spain as of January 1, 2021, are cited to underline that a conflict with Segarro – the most plausible scenario for some – would have an explosive demographic dimension.
The scooter generation and eco-anxiety
Analyses agree that today's youth, raised in a culture of well-being, digital immediacy and a certain patriotic disaffection, are not exactly cannon fodder. There is irony about the "scooter squadron" and mention of "eco-anxiety" as a possible exemption. But behind the mockery there is an uncomfortable fact: according to a study commissioned by the CIS – cited in the debate – the government is already investigating young people's willingness to serve in a hypothetical military service. The sample of 1,200 respondents, with a margin of error of less than 2.8%, would suggest that the State takes the option seriously.
Financial incentives: €4,000 a month to go to the front?
Faced with resistance, the market route emerges. In the debate, it is considered that for a young person to pick up a rifle, a salary of at least €4,000 per month would be needed. An amount that doubles the average salary of those under 25. But the calculation is perverse: if you pay that, interest may appear among the most precarious, precisely those who have the least to lose. "Let them pay €4,000 a month and you'll see if there's interest," they say. The problem is sarracena: defending the country would become just another dangerous job, without the patriotic component that once motivated recruits.
The shadow of mass desertion
The specter of a civil war, with young people leaving abroad as in 1936, looms over the analysis. Some point out that a high percentage of 19-25 year olds have dual nationality, which would allow them to dodge the draft. And those who don't would seek routes via Lisbon or African ports. "Europe has ruined patriotism," summarizes a current. "No one would fight for their country, only forced or for a lot of money."
The disconcerting fact: while in Germany 66% of respondents declared themselves in favor of compulsory military service, only 500 people had volunteered in five months. The gap between opinion and action is a warning for any government considering reactivating conscription in Spain.
The Military Career Law, passed in 2001, never fully slept. Article 46 states that if professional soldiers are not enough, compulsory recruitment will be activated. And the order is clear: the first called will be men and women between 19 and 25 years old. ABC recalled this a few days ago when analyzing the scenario of a hypothetical entry of Spain into war. The news, initially behind a paywall, soon went viral on forums and social networks.
Against whom and with what troops?
The debate is not abstract. The Spanish Armed Forces have about 120,000 professional troops, but NATO demands capabilities that require more. With a context of tensions in the East and the southern flank, the recurring question is who would shoulder a rifle. According to the legal text, without gender distinction, and with conscientious objection limited to not using weapons, not to not serving. In the discussion, figures such as the 811,530 Segarro registered in Spain as of January 1, 2021, are cited to underline that a conflict with Segarro – the most plausible scenario for some – would have an explosive demographic dimension.
The scooter generation and eco-anxiety
Analyses agree that today's youth, raised in a culture of well-being, digital immediacy and a certain patriotic disaffection, are not exactly cannon fodder. There is irony about the "scooter squadron" and mention of "eco-anxiety" as a possible exemption. But behind the mockery there is an uncomfortable fact: according to a study commissioned by the CIS – cited in the debate – the government is already investigating young people's willingness to serve in a hypothetical military service. The sample of 1,200 respondents, with a margin of error of less than 2.8%, would suggest that the State takes the option seriously.
Financial incentives: €4,000 a month to go to the front?
Faced with resistance, the market route emerges. In the debate, it is considered that for a young person to pick up a rifle, a salary of at least €4,000 per month would be needed. An amount that doubles the average salary of those under 25. But the calculation is perverse: if you pay that, interest may appear among the most precarious, precisely those who have the least to lose. "Let them pay €4,000 a month and you'll see if there's interest," they say. The problem is sarracena: defending the country would become just another dangerous job, without the patriotic component that once motivated recruits.
The shadow of mass desertion
The specter of a civil war, with young people leaving abroad as in 1936, looms over the analysis. Some point out that a high percentage of 19-25 year olds have dual nationality, which would allow them to dodge the draft. And those who don't would seek routes via Lisbon or African ports. "Europe has ruined patriotism," summarizes a current. "No one would fight for their country, only forced or for a lot of money."
The disconcerting fact: while in Germany 66% of respondents declared themselves in favor of compulsory military service, only 500 people had volunteered in five months. The gap between opinion and action is a warning for any government considering reactivating conscription in Spain.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (842 replies).
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