The Netherlands’ Ministry of Defence will send 17-year-olds a second conscription letter at the end of next month, inviting them to complete a questionnaire intended in part to bolster military recruitment, a plan confirmed after reporting by NU.nl.

Participation in the survey is voluntary and aims to assess how teenagers view the armed forces while encouraging them to consider roles such as reservist or other positions within the military. Issuing two conscription letters in one year is unusual, but Defensie opted for this approach because privacy law prevents sending a questionnaire directly to all 17-year-olds. The Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek estimates there are almost 200,000 people of that age in the Netherlands.

The armed forces are expected to expand substantially. The caretaker cabinet has set a 2030 target of 100,000 defence employees, compared with around 75,000 military, reservist and civilian staff currently. According to the May report ‘Stand van Defensie’, last year saw increases versus 2023 of about 3 percent in professional soldiers, 9.6 percent in reservists and 11 percent in civilian personnel.

Whether this pace will meet targets remains uncertain. A spokesperson told NOS there are capacity shortages in selection and examination, screening and initial training, and that the organisation is adapting. Officials have looked at a Swedish-style compulsory skills survey; in May, state secretary Tuinman said that in the Netherlands completion would likely stay voluntary. In Germany, a bill tabled today would require all 18-year-olds to receive a survey next year, make completion mandatory for men, and introduce compulsory medicals for men born in 2008 or later.

(Source: NOS)