Artikel 98: Composition of the armed forces; military service
- The armed forces shall consist of volunteers and may also include conscripts.
- Compulsory military service and the power to defer the call-up to active service shall be regulated by Act of Parliament.
Explanation
Please note: Only the Dutch-language version of the Constitution has legal effect.
The armed forces consist of volunteers and may also include conscripts. In 1997, the obligation to report for service for conscripts was suspended. Since then, the army has therefore consisted solely of persons who choose a job in the army of their own accord.
The obligation to report for service and the suspension thereof are further regulated in the Framework Act on Conscription.