Portugal

Conscription:

No

The conscription ended in December 2004. It was abolished by the Law 174/99, from September 21, which established that in peace time military service is voluntary.

This Law provided, in article 59, that compulsory military service was gradually eliminated within a maximum period of 4 years from its entry into force, which took place in November 2000 with the approval and entry into force of the regulation of military service law.

Conscientious objection:

1976

The right to conscientious objection to military service was recognised for the first time in 1976, by the Portuguese Constitution (Article 41) which established that ”Conscientious objectors will render unarmed military service or civil service appropriate to their situation.”

Article 276 of the Portuguese Constitution establishes that conscientious objectors to military service will perform civic service of duration and hardship equivalent to that of armed military service.

The right to conscientious objection to military service is recognized in peace time, in compulsory mobilization (general or partial) and in war time.

Service

Military:

-

Civilian:

-

Minimum

Conscription:

-

No conscription

Voluntary enlistment:

18

According to Law No. 174/99 (Military Service Law), the minimum age for military service in peacetime is 18. According to the same Law, the period in which Portuguese citizens are subject to military obligations runs from the first day of the year in which they turn 18 years old to the last day of the year in which they turn 25 years old. Nevertheless, in time of war, the maximum age limit set for the military duties can be changed by law. The Constitution still maintains the right to conscientious objection, which allows voluntary military personnel to exercise this right. Article 40 of Law No. 174/99 (Military Service Law) establishes that for citizens subject by law to military service, it is grounds for exemption from military duties to be recognised as conscientious objectors.

More

https://ebco-beoc.org/portugal including the reply of the Ministry of Defence to the Questionnaire about EBCO’s Annual Report 2022 (e-mail on 06/12/2022).