The Belgian government has started sending letters to 149,000 17-year-olds, informing them about voluntary military service with a salary of 2,000 euros per month.

Last Friday, the Belgian government began sending 149,000 letters to 17-year-olds, encouraging them to participate in a year of voluntary military service in 2026, with a net monthly salary of 2,000 euros. The Minister of Defense, Theo Francken, announced that this measure reintroduces the option of military service, suspended since 1993, but now young people will decide whether they want to participate. This initiative comes in the context in which Belgium responds to the need for personnel in the armed forces, following the commitment to increase defense spending to 2% of GDP, according to NATO standards.

Critics, including the youth wings of trade unions, fear that the remuneration could exploit young people in search of socio-economic stability. Additionally, there are concerns about the normalization of militarization among young people. The volunteer service will begin in September 2026, with an initial number of 500 recruits, which will gradually increase. Young people will be involved in surveillance tasks in various branches of the armed forces. In response, several youth associations have created the 'Service for Peace' platform to oppose this initiative.