Estonia

Current situation & recent developments

The standard military service duration has been 8 months, but in some specific units and tasks 11 months, depending on the education and position provided by the Defence Forces. In May 2023, the newly elected government coalition made a decision to make the 11 month long service the new standard length. This does not affect the annual target number of conscripts, set at 4,000.^[1] Nor should it change the 12-month duration of the alternative civilian service for conscientious objectors, which would remain marginally longer.

The coalition agreement of the new government also states that the length of the military service can be extended to as much as two years in circumstances when deemed necessary. However, the Estonian Defence Force does not have concrete plans to introduce this longer service. The conscription law already allows the government to extend the maximum length of the service from 11 months to 12 months.^[2]

In Autumn 2023, some defence experts made a suggestion of establishing a new civilian defence service to better involve the civilian population in crisis preparation. The idea got support from some key members of the parliament, with the note that the suggestion also requires more detailed consideration about its differences to the already existing alternative service system for conscientious objectors.^[3]