Netherlands

Conscription currently imposed?

No

Suspended 1997                        Could be reinstated in war; military registration still enforced.

Conscientious objection first recognised

1922

Constitutional amendment

CO release of professional soldiers

–

May apply under general Act on Conscientious Objection to Military Service. Legal appeal possible in case of refusal.

Minimum recruitment age

17

Voluntary recruitment

Population

Total

% males 15-19

Thus approx. annual cohort reaching 18

17,695,000

2.9

102,631

Armed forces

Total strength

Of which conscripts

Compared to annual cohort above

33,600

-

32.7%

Military expenditure

$ (% change from 2022)

Per capita

% of GDP

$16,625m (+22.0%)

$943.6

1.5%

Current situation & recent developments

Feedback from organisations

As reported by the organisation Kerk en Vrede[1]:

In the Netherlands every boy and girl gets a letter from the Minister of Defence, telling them that they are registered for the military duty, but the compulsory attendance is suspended. In case of war there is that duty. In that letter there is not explanation about the possibility of conscientious objection, although that right has been recognized as well as the possibility for alternative civilian service. Youth receive this letter when they are 17 years old, thus still underage.

At the moment there is a proposal to add to that letter a mandatory survey. In this survey they can express interest to serve in a year of duty; this is meant to get more voluntary soldiers for the future. So also this has been done among underaged youngsters. We just now have written a letter to the minister and the commission of Defence of our Parliament in which we ask them to also give explanation of the possibility of conscientious objection in this survey.

[1] More info about the organisation at: https://www.kerkenvrede.nl/