In this European country, the call for military service is drawn by lot

In the Kingdom of Denmark, recruitment for military service is carried out through a lottery system. After reaching the age of 18, men and women are invited for a medical examination and an assessment of their physical and psychological abilities.

Each eligible candidate draws a number at random. Those with the lowest numbers may be called up for military service if the required number of soldiers is not met by volunteers.

After the checks, recruits receive numbers that will be entered into a draw. The system works like a mathematical lottery, where lower numbers mean a greater chance of being called up, while higher numbers usually exclude the candidate from military service.

On the day of assessment, known as "Defense Day" (Forsvarets Dag), candidates who pass the health and psychological tests draw a number from a special drum. The numbers usually range from 1 to several tens of thousands.

Numbers from 1 to approximately 8000 are considered the "danger zone", as the Danish Armed Forces first send out calls for service to those with the lowest numbers. However, if there are enough volunteers, only as many recruits are called up as are needed to fill the annual quota.

People who draw high numbers are given the status of "frinummer" ("free number"). If their number is far above the army's needs, the likelihood of being called up in peacetime is practically zero, as the quota is filled much earlier.

This system aims to make the recruitment process as objective and fair as possible, as the decision does not depend on subjective assessments, but only on the result of the draw.

According to the Danish Ministry of Defense's plan, 6,500 recruits will be trained each year from 2033, about 40 percent more than at present. Denmark, with a population of about six million, has about 9,000 professional soldiers. The new rules also make it easier to accept people with diabetes and ADHD, while the Defense Minister has the power to send recruits on missions abroad if necessary.

Among the Scandinavian countries, Denmark was the last to include women in the compulsory conscription system. Norway did so in 2013, while Sweden did so in 2017. /Telegraph/ ...