The key facts

  • Universal conscription in Lithuania is planned for 2032; the number of conscripts will grow from 5,000+ to ~7,500 per year
  • The timeline was chosen on the military's recommendation: barracks need to be expanded and about 300 instructors trained
  • Women will continue to serve on a voluntary basis

The decision and its scale

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced on Thursday plans to introduce universal military conscription from 2032, Anadolu reports, citing the public broadcaster LRT. According to him, this will increase the number of young people called up for service amid growing security concerns. The annual draft, according to the president's calculations, will grow from more than 5,000 people currently to approximately 7,500 — taking into account demographic trends and medical exemptions.

Why exactly 2032

Nausėda explained that the 2032 target gives Lithuania enough time to expand facilities for conscripts and train the required number of instructors. Women, he added, will still be able to serve in the armed forces on a voluntary basis. Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė's predecessor, Mindaugas Sinkevičius, said the government had originally wanted to introduce universal conscription earlier, but agreed to postpone it until 2032 on the recommendation of the military. 'One can say that the political will exists, but at the same time there is the question of the military's readiness. The military has clearly stated that they will be ready by 2032,' Anadolu quotes him as saying after a meeting of the State Defence Council. According to him, the preparations include training about 300 instructors and building appropriate housing for conscripts.