Austria extends military service to 9 months, raises monthly pay to €1,000

Published Jul 28, 04:00 PM UTC

Austria's three-party coalition government has agreed to extend basic military service from six to nine months by adding three months of reserve training, with part immediately and the rest spread over ten years. The reform, presented by Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP), Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler (SPÖ), and Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger (Neos), cites new geopolitical necessities. Monthly pay will rise from around 600 to 1,000 euros, with additional vacation days. The compromise falls short of the expert commission's recommended '8+2' model (eight months basic service plus two months militia training). Civilian service remains at nine months for now, with a possible voluntary two-month extension. The government needs a two-thirds majority in parliament; opposition parties, including the Greens and far-right FPÖ, have criticized the reform. The new model is expected to take effect in early 2027.

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