According to the minister by raising the age of citizens included in the reserve, and at the same time obliged to military service, “the defense and safety of Finland are strengthened.” Currently, the upper age limit for reservists is 50 years, and for officers and non -commissioned officers 60 years.
“This is evidence for allies from NATO that Finland, by joining the alliance, is very serious about the issue of strengthening the defense of the country,” Hakkanen emphasized on Wednesday at the conference presenting the appropriate bill.
Increasing the age of reservists was included in the ruling coalition program
The raising of the upper age limit of reservists began to be discussed in Finland in connection with the armed assault of Russia to Ukraine and along with the process of admitting Finland to NATO (accession on April 4, 2023). Increasing the age of reservists was also included in the program of the center-right coalition of the government of Prime Minister Petteri ORPO, which is currently on the halfway point of his term (2023-2027). According to the draft defense ministry, the new upper age limit is to become effective from 2026.
Finland is one of the few European countries, which after the end of the Cold War did not give up in the 1990s.
Currently, there are about 870 thousand in the reserve. Finns. During the war, armed forces have 280,000 soldiers, which are completed as needed by reservists.
