Lithuania’s current system could face major changes as public opinion increasingly favors broader service and new alternatives for recruits.

More than 76% of Lithuanian residents support the introduction of universal military conscription. These were the results of a survey conducted by Norstat on behalf of the “Universal Defense” association.

This is reported by LRT.

Some 76.3% of survey participants supported switching to a universal conscription model. Slightly more than 40% of respondents believe that men should be called up first and foremost.

When Lithuanians Want the Conscription System Changed

More than half of those surveyed would like the new service system to be introduced in Lithuania by 2030. At the same time, over half of respondents support adopting such changes as soon as possible.

Nearly 19% of survey participants are convinced that both men and women should serve in the military. More than 23% of respondents supported the current partial conscription system, while 14.5% would prefer a professional army without conscripts. Twelve percent of those surveyed opposed universal conscription.

Attitudes Toward Women’s Military Service in Lithuania

More than half of the population supports allowing women to serve voluntarily and choose from different service options. Nearly 13% of respondents approve of identical conscription rules for men and women, while 35% do not support conscripting women.

The idea of universal service for women was supported by 55% of men and 48% of women who took part in the survey.

What Conditions Could Increase Support for Conscription

More than 38% of respondents said that their approval of universal conscription could increase if there were a broader choice of alternative service options. These include work in civil defense, healthcare, cybersecurity, and other fields.

Among the important conditions, survey participants named modern technological training and drone operation instruction, the opportunity to serve in their own region, fair pay, and the absence of privileges for people with influential connections.

Lithuania currently does not have universal conscription. The survey was conducted in August among 1,501 respondents by telephone and online. The maximum statistical margin of error is up to 3%.