On 4 November, the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) decided to extend readiness service for conscripts from a maximum of 180 to 360 days. The decision is based on the government's bill 2025/26:279 on personnel supply for the military defence and also means that former professional and reserve officers will be subject to conscription up to the age of 70. The legislative changes take effect on 1 January 2027.
"Readiness service may, for each person subject to total defence obligations, comprise a maximum of 180 days distributed over one or more periods of service. The bill extends this service to 360 days, of which a maximum of 230 days may be served on a single occasion," said Per Söderlund (Sweden Democrats) in the parliamentary debate before the decision.
The Riksdag followed the Defence Committee's proposal in report 2026/27:FöU2, which meant that the bill was approved and a motion from the Left Party was rejected. The decision amends the Total Defence Obligations Act and the Act on Protection of Employment during Certain Service within the Total Defence.
Conscripts called up for readiness service or wartime service before the end of the year in which they turn 47 will remain enlisted during a state of heightened alert. Anyone who has previously served as a professional officer or reserve officer for at least one year will become obliged to complete conscript service until the end of the year in which they turn 70. Currently, the limit is set at 47 years of age.
The decision also introduces the concept of a conscription reserve. Anyone placed in this reserve must undergo refresher training in order to be assigned once again to a wartime unit.
Reserve officers and other periodically serving personnel will also be granted an explicit statutory right to leave of absence from their civilian employment. This also applies to civilian personnel employed under contract.
"One part of the report specifically addresses reserve officers' right to leave of absence from their civilian employment. This will now be made explicit in law," said Alexandra Anstrell (Moderate Party).
The Left Party had entered a reservation regarding the conditions for extended conscription for former professional and reserve officers. The party wanted it clarified that the obligation could not be invoked in peacetime, but the reservation was voted down.