EU state preparing to draft women

Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds says gender equality is important for the country’s army

Latvia has set in motion a plan to compel women to serve in the military, Defense Minister Andris Spruds said on Wednesday. In an interview on Latvian TV, Spruds claimed that while there is still much to be done, the new conscription legislation could come into force in 2028.

According to the minister, the move is part of the government’s efforts to promote gender equality in the army, which he called “a very important matter.” The minister noted that similar legislation is already in place in Sweden, Norway and Denmark and that Latvia is merely taking a cue from them.

“This motion will ensure mandatory military service for both sexes,” Spruds noted. Women are currently able to sign up for military service in Latvia voluntarily.

The minister added that the legislation is still far from being finalized.

“It is clear that this cannot be done by lunchtime tomorrow. Homework must be done. The big homework which involves discussions and dialogue within the government, in parliament and society,” Spruds noted. He admitted that “it is very important” that people support the move, as previously most Latvians were not happy with the reintroduction of compulsory service for men.

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According to Spruds, orders have already been given to the relevant authorities to make the necessary preparations for the move, such as analyzing the adjustments needed for incorporating women into the military. These include stocking the army with proper equipment, uniforms and weaponry tailored for female soldiers.

“We have created a roadmap, and one of its potential goals would be to start conscripting women in 2028,” Spruds stated.

The defense chief first voiced the idea of introducing mandatory drafting for women this past August, sparking debates among Latvian lawmakers. MP Harijs Rokpelnis said at the time that conscripting women would be a hasty step, and “not the direction Latvia needed to go.” MP Anna Udre urged for a wider discussion on the issue.

Mandatory national service had been abolished in Latvia since 2006. Last year, however, the country reintroduced the draft for men aged 18 to 27, citing the need to boost the ranks of the army amid the supposed threat from Russia. The Baltic state, a member of both the EU and NATO, has supported Kiev throughout the conflict with Moscow and supplied its army with domestically produced combat UAVs.

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Moscow has repeatedly denied claims that it intends to attack the Baltic states or any other European countries, a notion which has been widely discussed in the West over the past two years. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously called such speculation “absurd.”