In Estonia, mandatory conscription for women may be only a matter of time. That was the assessment of Anu Rannaveski, head of the Defense Resources Agency, who explained the prospect by pointing to demographic constraints.
According to her, Estonia may in the future face a situation in which it can no longer staff its armed forces with men alone. About 4,000–5,000 boys are currently born in the country each year, while defense plans call for the training of 4,100 conscripts.
Rannaveski believes the duty to defend Estonia’s independence applies to every citizen of the country.
“I hope this question belongs more in the category of ‘when’ rather than ‘whether,’” she said.
In Rannaveski’s assessment, the shortage of conscripts could become especially visible by 2040.
Earlier, former chief justice of Estonia’s Supreme Court Rait Maruste proposed extending mandatory conscription to women as well. He noted that modern defense involves a broad range of tasks, many of which do not require a high level of physical fitness.
Leo Kunnas, a member of parliament’s National Defense Committee, said Estonia can still manage without mandatory conscription for women, but that such a measure cannot be ruled out in the long term.