Latvia uses lottery to select 400 conscripts for mandatory military service

Latvia’s Ministry of Defence has selected 400 people for compulsory military service through a lottery, the national broadcaster reported.

The draw was conducted among 8,000 eligible candidates who had no legal or medical impediments to serving. Those chosen will receive draft notices and, after completing military medical examinations, will be assigned to units for an 11-month term of service scheduled to begin in July.

Officials expect that roughly half of the selected individuals will ultimately be unable to serve because of health issues or other legally valid grounds for exemption from military duty.

This is the third time Latvia has used a lottery system for conscription since mandatory military service was reinstated. In addition to the lottery, 1,503 people volunteered for service this year, including 46 women. However, some of the volunteers did not pass the medical examination, prompting the authorities to select the remaining 400 required conscripts through the lottery.

Since 2024, Latvia has relied on a lottery to fill conscription quotas whenever the number of volunteers is insufficient. Beginning in 2025, Latvian citizens residing abroad will also be included in the lottery pool. Military service for women remains voluntary.

Volunteers are incentivized with higher pay, receiving a monthly allowance of 600 euros, compared with 300 euros per month for those drafted through the lottery.

By Tamilla Hasanova