Despite increasing tensions in Europe and widespread efforts to bolster military forces, the Czech Republic managed to grow its army by only 176 soldiers last year amid considerable recruitment challenges.
While European nations are ramping up defense spending and expanding their forces, Czechia’s struggle to attract new recruits raises concerns about its long-term military preparedness.
The Czech Army currently has around 24,000 personnel, but the government aims to increase that number to over 37,000 by 2030. However, as Chief of General Staff Karel Řehka pointed out last week, recruitment remains a major obstacle.
“We currently have fewer than 24,000 soldiers under my command. Our plan by 2030 is targeting 30,000, and despite this, we received so few soldiers to the army last year that the total increase is only 176,” he admitted.
Recruitment issues in the Czech military are part of a broader European trend. A Gallup poll from last year found that the willingness of citizens to defend their country with a weapon in hand has declined. In 2014, 61 percent of respondents in select countries expressed readiness to fight; by 2023, that figure had dropped to 52 percent. While countries like Finland, Poland, and Sweden maintain relatively high levels of willingness to defend their nations, Czechia has struggled to inspire the same sense of urgency.
Some nations are addressing their recruitment shortfalls by adjusting service requirements. Ukraine, for instance, lowered its draft age from 27 to 25, while Israel extended mandatory military service.
However, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has dismissed the idea of implementing similar measures, favoring a voluntary, professional army model with an emphasis on active reserves.
“I am convinced that the only way is a modern professional army. We must utilize elements we already have here, such as active backups, to create space for all citizens who voluntarily want to participate in their country’s defense according to their abilities,” he said, as cited by Echo24.
In an effort to boost recruitment, Czech military officials are introducing measures such as improving living conditions for troops, making service more compatible with family life, and digitizing recruitment processes. They have also explored high school training programs and the concept of voluntary pre-enlistment, allowing individuals to undergo medical evaluations and commit to military service in case of a national emergency.
Former Defense Minister Lubomír Metnar has called for simplifying the recruitment process, increasing salaries for lower-ranking officers, and making military service more appealing. Meanwhile, a major amendment to the law on professional soldiers is currently under discussion in the Czech Senate to increase recruitment bonuses, allow for shorter service terms, ease criminal record restrictions for enlistment, and expand benefits such as housing and stabilization allowances.
Many of the above initiatives would need to be funded through an increase in the defense budget, which Prime Minister Petr Fiala recently suggested he was open to.
Heeding the call of U.S. President Donald Trump who demanded European nations pay their fair share for U.S.-led protection through NATO, Fiala said that ramping up the alliance’s current defense spending target from 2 percent to 3 percent would need to be a gradual process, but insisted those conversations should be had.
“Two percent is the minimum today, but not all states even meet that. We need to discuss whether higher spending is necessary and feasible,” Fiala said. He also highlighted the economic benefits of defense investment, including domestic industrial growth, innovation, and technological development.
The Czech prime minister acknowledged that the Czech Republic, for the first time in two decades, has met NATO’s current defense spending target of 2 percent, a benchmark enshrined in legislation to ensure consistent prioritization of national security.
In 2024, the country allocated 166.8 billion crowns (€6.6 billion) for defense, representing 2.09 percent of GDP, according to the Ministry of Defense. However, Fiala argued that the evolving international landscape necessitates greater investment in defense capabilities.
