Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker announced a referendum regarding the extension of the military service from 6 to 8 months.

Austria will organize a referendum to decide on the extension of mandatory military service, announced Chancellor Christian Stocker. The result of the vote will be considered binding for political parties and the government. A recent proposal from a group of experts suggests extending basic military service from six to eight months, followed by two months of mandatory reserve training. Current geopolitical tensions highlight the need to act, said the head of the commission, Erwin Hameseder.

Austria, which is not a NATO member, is facing deficiencies in its armed forces, having a professional army and a reserve force of about 50,000 soldiers available for mobilization in case of crisis. Although many countries in Western Europe have abandoned mandatory military service, Austria continues to impose this service on men from the age of 18, also offering the option of an alternative civil service.