The master's thesis addresses the renewed relevance of compulsory military service as a potential response by European Union member states to the changing security environment, particularly following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It focuses on the issue of military personnel recruitment, which, in most cases, shifted from conscription-based systems to professional volunteer forces after the Cold War, but is once again becoming a subject of strategic consideration. The thesis presents three basic models of recruitment: general conscription (compulsory military service), professional volunteer armed forces, and hybrid models that combine elements of both. Key factors influencing the choice of recruitment model include political will, perceived threats, historical experience, geographic position, and public opinion. A comparative analysis of EU member states provides insight into current reforms, such as the introduction of gender-neutral conscription, selective national service schemes, and the broader strengthening of societal resilience. Compulsory military service is therefore no longer necessarily viewed as a relic of the past but rather as a component of a modern defence paradigm that also encompasses civil society, broader societal resilience, and active civic participation.
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