Kilvar Kessler: Why mandatory military service for women in Estonia is a bad idea

Estonian public figure Kilvar Kessler argues that voluntary participation in conscription already works well for women in Estonia's Defence Forces. He warns that introducing mandatory female conscription carries significant risks and challenges that outweigh potential benefits.

Estonia's current system of voluntary military service for women has proven its worth over many years, according to [Kilvar Kessler](/politicians/kilvar-kessler). Writing in an opinion piece, Kessler argues that women who choose to serve in the Estonian Defence Forces are able to test their abilities and develop within the military on their own terms — a model he considers both effective and sensible.

Kessler, however, draws a sharp distinction between voluntary and mandatory participation. Extending conscription obligations to women would, in his view, introduce considerable risks and practical complications that the current debate has not fully addressed. The voluntariness of the decision, he argues, is precisely what makes the system work.

## The case against compulsion

The core of Kessler's argument rests on the idea that compelling women into military service would undermine the motivational foundations that make voluntary female conscripts valuable contributors to the armed forces. When service is a genuine choice, those who enter bring commitment and initiative that cannot be mandated by law.

His comments enter a broader ongoing debate in Estonia about how to expand the defence manpower base amid growing security concerns in the Baltic region. While some voices have called for gender-equal conscription obligations to boost troop numbers and signal societal commitment to national defence, Kessler's position reflects a more cautious institutional perspective.

## Voluntary model holds strong

Estonia already has one of the more advanced frameworks in the region when it comes to integrating women into its defence structures. Kessler's piece suggests that rather than overhauling this framework through mandatory conscription, Estonia should continue building on and refining the voluntary model that has already demonstrated results.