We Must Talk About Duty!

That was the headline of my speech at the People and Defence National Conference in Sälen. My address was already on Sunday, and since then there hasn't been a quiet moment as numerous questions have come from other authorities, the public, and the media.

In my speech, I talk about our mission at the Swedish Defence Recruitment Agency, or Pliktverket as we are commonly called. We have increased the number of conscripts in accordance with the current defence decision, but can no longer consider the provisions in the government decision made on 2 March 2017 when conscription was reactivated. It stated that we should, as far as possible, consider the youth's willingness and motivation based on the responses in the conscription survey. About 34 percent qualify based on the questions, and if we were to consider willingness and motivation, only 20 percent would be eligible to call up.

This is naturally concerning for the entire society and it affects not only our agency, but I mentioned that we have ordered statistics from the National Board of Health and Welfare to compare the conscription results with their statistics on public health, to determine what measures we need to take.

The National Conference in Sälen is unique. I dare even say it is unique in the world. A key feature is that the conference this year had a fantastic moderator in Karin Hübinette, who professionally ensures that all speakers keep to their time and then poses relevant and insightful questions. In one hotel, there are representatives from authorities, voluntary defence organisations, and other actors. The media is also represented with journalists from national and local media, who follow everything that is said. I meet many of my counterparts from the authorities under the Ministry of Defence, and we have the opportunity to discuss current issues a bit more informally and in the context of interesting lectures. When Lieutenant General Michael Claesson in his address said that in this room we know each other by first name, we all looked at each other and concluded that he was largely right. Sweden is not larger than that, and it is a strength now as we build up the total defence together.

That President Volodymyr Zelenskyy opened the national conference emphasises the serious security situation in our vicinity. The applause after his speech almost never ended. It is with great humility that we listen to a president who is in the midst of a raging war. He expresses his gratitude for the support he has received from Sweden and other countries. It is extremely important that the world's support for Ukraine continues. This was also something that most speakers referred to: support for Ukraine is important!

Many ministers from the government and politicians from the parliament also take the stage, which also shows how important this conference is. The national conference is simply the start of the defence year. The entire defence leadership also gives their view on the global situation, and everyone is worth listening to several times so that we all understand the seriousness of what is being said. Right now, we are in the penultimate year of the defence decision period, and we will receive a new defence decision one year before the current defence decision ends. The chairman of the Defence Committee, Hans Wallmark, was on stage, and together with representatives from the other seven parties included in the Defence Committee, they reported on their work so far and political focus areas and differences between the parties. The Defence Committee's next report will be a significant basis for the next defence decision, which is expected already this autumn, and many of us are looking forward to that report.

There are many good and very interesting lectures and discussions that the three-day conference contains, and therefore we must not forget why People and Defence exists. It was the political youth organisations, labour market parties, popular movements, and voluntary defence organisations that founded People and Defence in 1940. Hearing the political youth organisations on stage today during the national conference talk about what they believe we need to do for them to have a brighter future gives hope for the future and shows that we must listen more to the voices of the youth about how they want things to be. Then I can also remind that People and Defence was formed with the goal of "building a bridge between society and defence." Thank you, Maud Holma von Heine and staff at People and Defence, for organising a conference that did just that – we built bridges!

Christina Malm

Director General at the Swedish Defence Recruitment Agency