OSW Commentary - Universal, selective, and lottery-based: conscription in the Nordic and Baltic states

Increasing the number of conscripts and reservists aligns with the revitalisation of the concept of total defence, which envisions close cooperation between both the military and civilian sectors. [...] The number of conscripts and the duration of the military service in both countries is determined by parliament – through cross-party defence agreements (current for 2024–2033) in Denmark, and government military development plans (current for 2025–2036) in Norway. [...] Militarily non-aligned Sweden – once renowned for its Cold War total defence model and policy of armed neutrality – began to benefit from the so-called peace dividend following the collapse of the USSR and Finland’s departure from Moscow’s sphere of influence in the late 1990s. [...] Those in favour of con- scription pointed to military personnel shortages, the lack of trained reserves, and the poor level of defence preparedness among the population. [...] This ‘draft procrastina- tion’ was influenced not only by the fear of increasing the presence of Russian speakers in the armed forces (Russian is the first language for more than a third of the population), but also by the long-term consequences of the 2008 financial crisis and the degradation of Latvia’s military capabilities, which were impacted by sharper defence cuts than in other countries in.