Maruste urges Estonia to extend mandatory military service to women

Former Estonian Supreme Court Chief Justice and European Court of Human Rights judge Rait Maruste argues that the Estonian constitution provides little justification for limiting mandatory military service to men only. The Reform Party member says the current system is discriminatory and should be extended to women as well.

Former Estonian Supreme Court Chief Justice and European Court of Human Rights judge [Rait Maruste](/politicians/rait-maruste), a member of the Reform Party, has called for mandatory national defence service to be extended to women, arguing that the current system is constitutionally unjustifiable.

Maruste contends that it is difficult to find in the Estonian constitution a valid legal basis for restricting the obligation to serve in the defence forces exclusively to male Estonian citizens. In his view, limiting this duty to men amounts to discrimination that cannot easily be defended under the country's fundamental law.

The call comes at a time of heightened security awareness across the Baltic region, with Estonia and its neighbours intensifying efforts to strengthen their defence capabilities. Broadening the pool of those subject to mandatory service has been discussed in several Nordic and Baltic countries as a means of bolstering national resilience.

Maruste's position aligns with ongoing debates in Estonian society about gender equality in civic responsibilities. Proponents of extending service obligations argue that national defence is a shared duty that should not fall disproportionately on one gender, particularly as modern military roles increasingly rely on a wide range of skills.

No concrete legislative proposal has been announced at this stage, but Maruste's remarks are likely to reignite public discussion about the future shape of Estonia's conscription system and the constitutional principles underpinning it.