Between 6,000 and 7,000 people join the civilian service every year, to do things like caring for people with dementia, working at farms or helping teachers in the classroom – too many, according to the Federal Council and a majority in parliament.
The argument is that the army is in urgent need of this manpower, given that the world has become much more dangerous in recent years. “At a time when we are talking about rearmament, mobilisation capacity and staying power, these figures are nothing short of scandalous,” says SVP National Councillor Stefanie Heimgartner, adding that Switzerland simply can no longer afford so few conscripts. In 2025, federal politicians voted to tighten access to civilian service by restricting the number of new admissions to 4,000 a year – out of some 30,000 to 35,000 young men deemed fit for military service. The electorate is set to vote on the matter in a referendum on 14 June.
More civilian service applications since 2008
The number of people in civilian service has increased significantly since a change in the system in 2008. Before then, those who wanted to join the civilian service had to prove to a review board that they had sincere, deep-seated moral or religious grounds for doing so. Around 1,700 people were earmarked for civilian service every year. From the beginning of 2009, civilian service applicants no longer had to justify their reasons before a commission, but the “proof by action” principle applied instead, i.e. anyone choosing civilian service had to prove their good faith by accepting a longer duration of service that was 1.5 times the duration of military service (368 instead of 245 days). Access to civilian service was made too easy, argue those in favour of the decision to restrict numbers.
Understaffed army
“Civilian service was never meant to be an option for all,” Centre Party National Councillor Martin Candinas stresses – rather, an exception for those who cannot perform military service on grounds of conscientious objection. “Personal preferences or convenience should not be the deciding factor.”
SVP politician Thomas Hurter believes that the flood of civilian service admissions is unconstitutional: “The way the system is now interpreted is that individuals are, essentially, free to choose between military and civilian service.” This could lead to an understaffed army and affect Switzerland’s ability to defend itself.
Preventing late switches
In particular, the plan is to make it less likely for soldiers to switch to civilian service at a later stage. This group accounted for about a third of all applications in 2023. In future, they would be required to do at least 150 days of civilian service. Trained officers who switch would likewise have to do a 1.5-times longer service stint. To retain medics in the army, there would be no more civilian assignments requiring medical, dental or veterinary studies.
Anyone who chooses not to complete their basic military training could in future have to start civilian service within the same year. Until now, individuals have been able to delay this for up to three years.
The measures are counterproductive, say critics
Those behind the referendum – an alliance consisting of the SP, the Greens, the EVP, and professional associations – criticise the way in which civilian service would become less appealing. “It will not make the army automatically more attractive either,” says SP National Councillor Priska Seiler Graf. A different approach is needed, because the measures are counterproductive: “At best, it will lead to more cases of medical discharge.” Young people who take this route will then be lost to both strands of the conscription system.
According to Green National Councillor Gerhard Andrey, civilian service is an important pillar of our society. Every year, thousands of young people perform their service in “areas where the shortage of skilled workers is now acute and will become even more noticeable in future”, he says. Tightening access to civilian service would lead to cuts in precisely these areas. “It would be detrimental to society and not benefit the army.”
The situation for Swiss Abroad
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