In a recent announcement, acting Chief of Defence Michael Hyldgaard has praised the new sub-agreement within the defense agreement as a “really good agreement”. The agreement, presented at the Ministry of Defence, has received broad political support, which Hyldgaard highlights as essential to ensure soldiers’ trust in their missions. “Of course, I am happy about that, and it will be a big task for us to implement it over several years,” said Hyldgaard. He emphasized the importance of broad political backing and mentioned that it is crucial for the working conditions and motivation of soldiers. Michael Hyldgaard, who previously served as the head of the Special Operations Command and has over 40 years of experience in the Defense, took over as acting Chief of Defence on April 3 after Troels Lund Poulsen (V) sent Flemming Lentfer home. One of the major discussions during the negotiations on the sub-agreement was the introduction of female conscription, which is now part of the agreement, but will only be implemented after the next general election. This step towards greater diversity in the Defense was agreed upon without the parties Liberal Alliance and the Denmark Democrats. The sub-agreement involves an investment of 95 billion Danish kroner for various new initiatives. Among these is a significant reinforcement of the army’s 1st brigade, which is to be developed into a combat-ready unit with 6,000 soldiers who can be deployed in NATO operations by 2028. Additionally, conscription will be extended to 11 months, and the number of conscripts will increase to around 7,500 annually. Hyldgaard did not want to comment on the political process, but emphasized the need for diversity among conscripts, which he believes will strengthen the Defense.

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