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On 27 November, during a visit to the 27the Mountain Infantry Brigade (BIM) in Varces, Isère, French President Emmanuel Macron has outlined the details of the return of national service in France., from 2026 onwards. Whereas it was compulsory from its adoption in 1798 until its suspension in 1997, it will now be voluntary.
On the European continent, voluntary service is also the most common model. And while many countries have not yet reinstated the military service they abolished in the 1960s, the question of its return is being raised almost everywhere, in one form or another. Only Malta and Ireland have never had national service, relying instead on a fully professional army for their defence. Conversely, Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece and Cyprus have never abolished or suspended conscription.
The first European country to reinstate its national service was Lithuania, in 2015, after Russia's annexation of Crimea. «This annexation came as no surprise to anyone in the country, where the Russian threat has always been known,» says Lithuanian researcher Živilė Kalibataitė, deputy director of studies and research at IHEDN:
«The territory is small and borders Russia, specifically its Kaliningrad enclave. This geographical position makes Lithuania more exposed. But beyond this factor, the idea behind this restoration was also to comply with Article 3 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which requires members to strengthen their military capabilities. In Lithuania, NATO guarantees are the cornerstone of national defence.»
Since 2015, Lithuanian national service has lasted nine months and initially applied to men aged 18 to 26 who were included on a list drawn up each year based on the needs of the armed forces. Volunteering is the first way to meet these needs. If the quota is not filled, a random draw is held from the list. Women of the same age can also volunteer.
IN LITHUANIA, MEN AND WOMEN AGED 18 TO 39 CAN APPLY
After lowering the maximum age to 23 in 2020, a reform will come into force in 2026, further reducing the age range on the list to 18 to 22. «Previously, those over 23 were the most represented, which was problematic because they are at the beginning of their careers and sometimes already have families,» explains the Lithuanian political scientist, who has been living in France since completing her PhD. «The government's objective is to prioritise the recruitment of 18-19 year olds, before they start their studies.»
With this reform, the government also intends to reaffirm a possibility: outside of the pre-established list, all Lithuanian men and women aged 18 to 39 can volunteer. «In this case, conscripts are paid an additional 30% and can choose their unit,» says Živilė Kalibataitė.
For next year, the goal is to recruit 5,000 conscripts, compared to 3,000 in 2015, the year of re-establishment. After their service, they will join the reserve army for a period of 15 years in 2026 (in 2015, it was 10 years). In 2024, the Lithuanian army had 12,000 professional soldiers and 30,000 reservists. The government intends to increase the latter figure to 51,000 by 2030.
In addition to providing reserves, national service has other advantages, according to Živilė Kalibataitė:
«It makes the professional army more attractive and complements it with highly specific skills from civil society. Ultimately, the idea is to create conditions that facilitate the transition to compulsory military service.»
In 2026, the reform of Lithuanian national service will be driven by this very telling slogan: «Strengthening society's contribution to national defence.»Â
IN LATVIA, COMPULSORY SERVICE FOR MEN AGED 18 TO 27
Neighbouring Lithuania and Russia, Latvia decided in 2023 to reinstate compulsory military service for men aged 18 to 27, which came into effect in 2024. «There were not enough volunteers to serve in the professional army,» explains Toms Rostoks, director of the Centre for Security and Strategic Research at the Latvian National Defence Academy:
«There was strong demand to join the National Guard, but existing professional units lacked manpower. The war in Ukraine demonstrated the importance of mass and reserve forces; consequently, the reintroduction of conscription was a means of generating a larger army and reserve force.»
The Latvian professional army currently has 8,000 professional soldiers, and the National Guard has 10,000. In 2025, 1,000 conscripts joined the army, and the target for 2026 is 1,500. The system should be fully operational in 2028. Initially, «the army's ability to train the number of conscripts the government wants has been problematic,» says the Latvian researcher. «The army does not have enough infrastructure and qualified instructors to train the targets.»
Lasting 11 months, conscription is divided into 5 months of training and 6 months of service in units. «Conscripts are used in various roles, but the idea is that they will be ready to perform combat roles after completing their military training,» explains Toms Rostoks. And as in Lithuania, service helps to feed the reserve army:
«Conscripts join the active reserve after their service. Before that, they have acquired various skills: survival techniques, the ability to use weapons and other military equipment, and potentially training in one of the many specific professions in the army (e.g. driving a Patria armoured personnel carrier). The army also uses conscription as a recruitment tool. Many conscripts choose to sign a contract after their service to become professional soldiers.»
Pending the necessary infrastructure adjustments, the national service programme has had a largely positive impact in Latvia. However, this was not a foregone conclusion, as the researcher explains:
«Conscription was highly unpopular during the Soviet era, and even after Latvia regained its independence from the USSR in 1991. Latvia's current military organisation is structured and operates differently. As a result, the army is one of the most popular government institutions. Since its reintroduction in 2023, public opinion has been overwhelmingly positive, and is becoming increasingly so.»
At one point, the government also considered compulsory conscription for women. «But it seems that this will not happen, as the majority of the public is opposed to it,» says Toms Rostoks. However, women can still volunteer. More broadly, Latvia wants to encourage volunteering: volunteers receive a monthly allowance that is twice as high as that paid to conscripts.
