Sweden makes moves to scrap conscription
TT/The Local - [email protected]
Published: 6 Dec, 2007 CET.
Updated: Thu 6 Dec 2007 12:41 CET
Sweden is to abolish conscription, with military service becoming voluntary for both men and women.
The government on Thursday announced the creation of a parliamentary committee to decide on how conscription can be abolished.
The committee will complete its work by February 2009, with the changes in the law due to take effect in 2010.
In the current system, 8,000 people out of an annual cohort of 120,000 Swedish citizens are called in to carry out military service. A number of people are still jailed every year for refusing to carry out compulsory military service.
"The current system must be replaced by recruitment based on the voluntary principle," said Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors in a statement on Thursday.
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The government on Thursday announced the creation of a parliamentary committee to decide on how conscription can be abolished.
The committee will complete its work by February 2009, with the changes in the law due to take effect in 2010.
In the current system, 8,000 people out of an annual cohort of 120,000 Swedish citizens are called in to carry out military service. A number of people are still jailed every year for refusing to carry out compulsory military service.
"The current system must be replaced by recruitment based on the voluntary principle," said Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors in a statement on Thursday.
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