The army lacks 120 professional soldiers and a dozen volunteers.

Recruitment campaigns

The Grand Duchy now owes its army, it is even now an obligation. It should be remembered that in 2028, the defense effort must reach 1% of Luxembourg’s GDP, that is to say approximately one billion euros. This is nothing new, Luxembourg has already been trying to strengthen its army for years. Since 2014, the Grand Ducal defense effort has been multiplied by five. The defense budget has increased by more than 230% over the same period.

The political and security situation has deteriorated in recent weeks in the West African state. Germany announced on Friday that it was suspending most of its military operations there.

Part of this budget is also reserved for publicity around the army, particularly in the context of various recruitment campaigns broadcast on several media. More than ever, the army has a lot to do to attract as many candidates as possible. Thanks to a parliamentary question from MP Marc Goergen (Pirate) put to the Minister of Defense François Bausch (déi Gréng), we learn in particular that this advertising budget has been set for the year 2022 at €782,500. Quite a sum when you note that in 2021, this same budget was “only” €372,619.

Asked about the use that will be made of this windfall of money, the Minister replied that it was not possible to give a precise list of expenses according to the media through which the ads will be broadcast (radio, television, cinema, etc.). “The army has instructed advertising agencies to decide on the best possible choices in the matter,” replied the minister.

Prime Minister Xavier Bettel (DP) underlined during the NATO summit that freedom is not acquired, but that it is a price and that the Ukrainian people are today paying a high price to defend their values.

In the detail of the advertising budget for the year 2021, we note in particular that the army has spent to make its campaigns appear on job offer sites such as Jobs.lu but also in the Editus.lu business directory. . We note that a large part of the advertising budget was aimed at promoting the profession through the internet but also through the presence of stands at various events.

Remember that the army lacks 120 professional soldiers and a dozen volunteers per year. This is what emerges from another response from the Minister of Defense to a parliamentary question from MP Marc Goergen (Pirate). Vacancies are currently mainly in the general staff and in the future binational battalion that Luxembourg will set up with Belgium by 2028

In 2021, there were 878 men and women in the ranks of the army: 392 professional soldiers, 301 volunteers and 181 civilians.

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