Just under half of Poles (48%) support restoring compulsory basic military service, according to an Opinia24 poll for RMF FM. Opposition is strongest among people aged 18–24: 53% of them are against.
The Opinia24 survey was conducted on 5–7 October on a representative sample of 1,001 residents of Poland aged 18 and over. It used telephone (CATI) and online (CAWI) interviews. The results were published by RMF24 on Tuesday morning.
Results: 48% for, 38% against
According to the poll, 48% of respondents support reintroducing mandatory service. 38% are opposed, meaning they favour keeping a fully professional army, and 16% have no opinion.
Among supporters of conscription, views are divided on its scope: 22% of respondents believe it should cover both women and men, while 24% think it should apply to men only.
Who is opposed
The strongest opposition comes from people aged 18–24: 53% of them do not support the return of conscription. Respondents with secondary education (44%) and higher education (45%) answered similarly. 47% of voters for the Civic Coalition (KO) are also opposed.
How this compares with February
This is not the first Opinia24 poll for RMF FM on the subject. In a survey of 2–4 February, as Interia reported, 52% were in favour and 30% against. At that time, the Law and Justice (PiS) electorate had the most supporters (73%), while the highest share of opponents was recorded in the 25–29 age group (43%). The difference between the surveys (48% and 52% “for”) falls within the typical margin of error for a sample of about 1,000 people, but it is not known whether the question and answer options were identical in both polls, so direct comparison requires caution.
Background: conscription suspended since 2009
The last conscription took place in 2008. In January 2009, the Sejm amended the law, formally suspending it. The last conscripts were discharged from service in August 2009. Since then, the army has relied on professional soldiers and volunteers. Basic service ultimately lasted 11 months.
In February, government spokesman Adam Szłapka told RMF FM that there was “no discussion” about restoring conscription. Advocates of a return have mainly appeared among the military, including Sławomir Cenckiewicz, head of the National Security Bureau (BBN), who called for reinstating service. We found no new official government announcements on the matter in October.
What it means
For now, nothing changes: conscription remains suspended, and no bill to restore it is being processed. Young men and women are still subject only to military qualification, an administrative and medical procedure that does not mean being called up for service. The poll suggests, however, that any political decision would face resistance from precisely the groups it would affect most.
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