The province of Cádiz continues to be one of the great pillars of military recruitment in Spain. According to official data from the Ministry of Defense, during the 2025 call of troops and marine corps, 927 young people who took their exams at the Defense Sub-delegation of Cádiz obtained a place.
This figure represents the best record since 2017, but it contains a strategic paradox: the total number of applicants has fallen to its lowest level in eight years, a trend that is repeated throughout the country and which has already triggered alarm in the advisory bodies of the armed forces.
Why does Cádiz maintain its military weight despite the decline of its opponents?
Fewer applications, more places obtained
| 2025 indicator | Key data |
|---|---|
| Candidates in Cádiz | 2,772 requests |
| Places obtained | 927 soldiers and sailors |
| Success percentage | 11.45% |
The success rate of candidates in Cádiz has remained stable for almost a decade, fluctuating between 10 and 12%. The difference is that now there are fewer young people competing. In 2017, more than 4,200 residents of Cádiz took the tests; in 2025, they were 34% lower.
The Camposoto factor and the historical military footprint
- San Fernando CEFOT-2: one of the main training centers of the Army.
- Rota Naval Base: strategic node of the Navy and NATO.
- Marines: Cadiz contributes 48% of the national troops.
The presence of large units and training centers generates a unique military ecosystem. Thousands of young people pass through Camposoto every year, where only in the last call more than 1,500 recruits were trained. This proximity reduces dropouts and improves the success rate.
The problem is no longer Cadiz: it is the national recruitment model
The candidate/place ratio collapses
He Military Life Observatorydepending on the General Cortes, described the evolution of recruitment as “very worrying”. The ratio of candidates to places in troops and sailors fell from 27.9 in 2013 to only 4.2 in 2024.
In absolute terms, Spain went from almost 38,000 applications in 2020 to just over 24,000 in 2025. The result is that, despite more places on offer, many remain vacant after selection processes and initial withdrawals from training centers.
Fewer staff, more operational pressure
The figures confirm it: soldiers and sailors have lost nearly 10,000 soldiers in 15 years. In 2010, there were 86,112 military personnel according to these scales; in 2025, only 76,083, according to consolidated data from the ministry itself.
Sources in the Defense sector emphasize that this reduction increases the operational load on key units, particularly in the Navy and in international missions, where Cadiz plays a central role.
Remuneration and military career: the root of the problem
The Observatory’s report is clear: the military profession has lost its appeal. Salaries are outdated compared to other bodies of the General Administration of the State and there are significant salary differences compared to those of the National Police and the Civil Guard.
The organization recommends urgent measures to dignify the military career, improve conciliation and strengthen assistance to personnel. Without these changes, he warns, it will be difficult to attract and retain talent in an increasingly unfavorable demographic context.
Meanwhile, Cadiz continues to resist. It certainly recruits fewer young people, but it continues to be one of the main sources of soldiers and sailors in Spain, a strategic role that the Ministry of Defense cannot afford to lose.
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