Finland is preparing to significantly strengthen its territorial defence system by raising the maximum age limit for military reservists from 60 to 65. The reform, signed by the President of the Republic and set to enter into force on 1 January 2026, will extend reserve obligations for tens of thousands of citizens in a country where national defence is considered a constitutional duty. Under the Finnish Constitution, every citizen is required to contribute to the defence of the state, according to conditions defined by law. Until now, Finland’s conscription system required men to perform compulsory military service from the age of 18, for a period ranging from six to twelve months. After completing active service, conscripts were placed in the reserve. The upper age limit was previously set at 50 for rank-and-file soldiers and 60 for non-commissioned officers and officers. The new legislation will standardise the system by keeping all reservists mobilisable until the age of 65, extending reserve service by between five and fifteen years depending on rank. According to estimates from the Ministry of Defence, this change will add approximately 125,000 reservists over the coming years, with the goal of reaching around one million mobilisable citizens by 2031. This large reserve force complements Finland’s relatively small but highly trained standing armed forces, which are designed for rapid response in times of crisis. Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen explained that the decision reflects the changing regional security environment. Strengthening the reserve, he said, enhances Finland’s defence capability “quickly and effectively,” while also making use of the experience and skills of older reservists. Häkkänen stressed that the reform does not mean automatic mobilisation, but rather expands the pool of personnel who could be called upon if necessary. The measure must also be understood in the context of Finland’s broader strategic shift. In 2023, the country abandoned its long-standing policy of military neutrality and joined NATO, a decision widely seen as driven by concerns over potential Russian military threats. In this new security framework, the expansion of the reserve is a key element of deterrence, rooted in the ability to mobilise society as a whole in the event of a serious crisis. Public support for conscription remains exceptionally high. According to recent surveys by Finland’s Advisory Board for Defence Information, more than 80 percent of Finns support maintaining compulsory military service as an essential pillar of national defence. This broad consensus helps explain why the higher age limit for reservists is being presented in Helsinki not as an emergency measure, but as a structural adjustment to a profoundly changed European security landscape.
