“A key reason for the revival of the draft is a changing security situation in Europe, especially after the Russian annexation of Crimea four years ago,” said Elisabeth Braw, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies in London. “But there’s also an economic argument: It has been very hard to recruit for the armed forces, especially in northern European countries, where the economy is doing well.”

In some nations, including Germany and France, bringing back mandatory national service for both men and women is also being discussed as a possible way to integrate migrants into increasingly polarized societies. Estonia officially considers its draft as a way to integrate the country’s Russian minority.