The Defense Readiness Act (Wodg) is one step closer to being introduced. The Council of Ministers has approved the bill, which is intended to give the Ministry of Defense more scope to conduct exercises and operate more quickly and realistically. The bill will now be submitted to the Raad van State for advice, after which it will be debated in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
According to the cabinet, the law is necessary because the current rules are designed for peacetime and, as a result, the Ministry of Defense is insufficiently prepared for the current geopolitical situation. The war in Ukraine and increased tensions with Russia make it clear, according to the cabinet, that the armed forces must be able to train better and faster, including in the Netherlands and in all domains: on land, at sea, in the air, digitally, and in space.
The Wodg is intended to simplify and shorten procedures. This will enable the Ministry of Defense to conduct shooting exercises more quickly (including at night), construct trenches on its own grounds, and train with drones. The law should also enable better use of modern technologies such as data analysis, sensors, and artificial intelligence, including to counter cyber threats.
According to the ministry, there is currently a lack of clear legal basis for this, which means that the Ministry of Defense is lagging behind and cannot always train according to the principle of "train as you fight."
At the same time, the law has long been criticized for its potential impact on citizens' privacy. An earlier article, "Privacy under pressure from new defense law" (September 2025), highlighted concerns that the Ministry of Defense could use drones and sensors to unintentionally record people or vehicles outside military grounds. It is precisely because of privacy legislation that such resources are often not used at present.
Critics fear that the Wodg will weaken this protection. In the provisional bill, the Minister of Defense is given far-reaching powers to temporarily deviate from existing rules, including in the area of data processing. This could happen without prior parliamentary approval or public consultation.
Proponents emphasize that speed is crucial in the so-called "gray zone" between peace and war. Opponents warn that emergency measures threaten to become normalized and that fundamental rights could come under structural pressure.
According to the cabinet, the amended bill takes into account responses from the internet consultation, in which citizens, organizations, and other government bodies participated. Concerns and suggestions have been incorporated where possible. The extent to which this adequately addresses privacy concerns will now be assessed by the Raad van State later by parliament.
This next step makes it clear that the Wodg is not only a technical defense law, but also provokes political and social debate about the balance between national security and civil rights.
