Parliament has voted to raise the age limits for military reservists to 67 years.
118 votes were in favour of raising both the maximum age for joining Defence Reserve and upper age limit for remaining in it.
The measure was passed almost unanimously, with only 11 abstentions.
The change was introduced through an amendment by Peter Buysrogge (N-VA) as part of a broader bill revising various aspects of military personnel rules.
Previously, the age limit for joining the reserve was 34 years, with a higher threshold of 51 years for reserve officers.
These strict limits were seen as barriers to recruitment.
By aligning the age limits with 67-year pension age set for 2030, the decision aims to attract more candidates while maintaining medical and physical standards.
The legislation also allows exemptions from training for individuals with relevant external experience.
