Latvia lets 17-year-olds apply voluntarily for defence service

Latvia’s parliament has approved changes allowing young people to apply voluntarily for state defence service from age 17, while lowering the age limit for postponing service for personal reasons from 26 to 24, LSM reported.

The amendments to the State Defence Service Law were adopted in their final reading on October 29. Although applications will be accepted from age 17, service will still begin only at 18. Applicants must turn 18 at least six months before the start of service.

The change is intended to allow young people who turn 18 between the closing date for voluntary applications and the start of selection to apply voluntarily. Previously, they could not apply and were instead included in selection by random draw.

State-funded higher education will be available only to those who complete the 11-month state defence service, not to those who serve five years in the National Guard. The law also retains higher compensation for volunteers who meet conditions set by the Cabinet of Ministers.

A proposal to exempt religious leaders from service or allow people studying at religious training institutions to defer it was discussed in committee but was not included in the law.

State defence service was established to prepare Latvian citizens to carry out national defence duties. The first intake was voluntary: 488 citizens applied, and 254 began service on July 1, 2023. Service became compulsory on January 1, 2024.