Federal Council wants to introduce mandatory orientation day for women

If the Federal Council has its way, women should in future have to take part in the army’s orientation day. In this way they should get to know the opportunities in the military and civil defense. The media conference is ongoing.

In the future, young women will have to take part in the orientation day for service in the army, just as men already do today. The Federal Council is making a new attempt at the necessary constitutional change and has ordered a consultation proposal.

The women should gain an insight into the possibilities and opportunities that the military and civil defense offer them. He wants to ensure that more women choose voluntary service than today. And he sees the innovation as improving equal opportunities.

An army orientation day that was mandatory for women has already failed once. In 2018, work on the project was stopped because the cantons spoke out against the obligation and the associated constitutional change.

Compulsory service models and new approaches under review

According to the Federal Council, both compulsory service models that have been under discussion for a long time are suitable in order to have enough personnel for the army and civil defense. Both would trigger roughly the same level of investment and annual costs for the federal government and cantons. The Federal Council also wants to examine the “participation of foreigners in compulsory service”.

The Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (DDS) has been commissioned to submit an application to the Federal Council by the end of 2027 on how to proceed with service models. (sda)

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