Lithuanian youth council launches petition for universal conscription

The Lithuanian Council of Youth Organizations (LiJOT) has launched a petition supporting universal conscription and calling for its adoption to strengthen the country’s defence readiness, LRT reported.

LiJOT says state security should be a shared commitment and that as many citizens as possible should have the opportunity to contribute. It says universal conscription would help prepare citizens for national defence, strengthen military reserves and improve society’s readiness.

The petition calls for universal conscription for men, an assessment of whether to extend conscription to women in the future, and opportunities for people unable to serve in the military for health reasons to contribute through civilian service.

“Young people have repeatedly shown that they want to and can contribute to the country’s defence. It is now important to create a system that allows everyone to strengthen Lithuania’s security and resilience according to their abilities,” LiJOT President Umberto Masi said in a press release. “Universal conscription is necessary to make our country more resilient to external threats and our society stronger.”

Organizations supporting the petition include the Young Conservatives League, the Lithuanian Social Democratic Youth Union, Lithuanian Liberal Youth, and youth organizations from Utena, Kaunas, Vilnius, Marijampolė and Panevėžys.