The German government will require men over the age of 18 to complete a medical exam and a suitability questionnaire to increase the number of military personnel. However, military service remains voluntary. The parties in Germany’s ruling coalition have reached an agreement to create a new military service system that would make compulsory enlistment for all men over the age of 18.
The plan would abolish the current fully voluntary model and require all men born after January 1, 2008 to report to the German Wehrmacht (Bundeswehr), undergo a medical examination and complete a “willingness and suitability” questionnaire.
However, the new enlistment requirements are not tied to mandatory military service. The German Bundeswehr begins efforts to establish military service goals that volunteer candidates must meet. If the goal is reached, the excess amount will be waived.
However, according to the agreed plan, if the number of volunteers is too low, the German parliament (Bundestag) could later decide on a system of compulsory conscription based on demand. This model may involve a random selection process to fill vacancies, but the details of how this distribution occurs has not yet been established.
The document still needs to be passed by Congress before it can be approved.
Germany is trying to increase its military strength
Germany ended compulsory military service in 2011 and has since relied on volunteers to replenish its armed forces. Currently, young people who turn 18 are not required to enlist. However, Russia’s expansion into Ukraine and rising tensions at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) border have put pressure on the country to strengthen its military’s operational capabilities.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has already indicated that Germany must prepare for a possible war by 2029. This year alone, the German Bundeswehr launched new units to protect the country’s critical infrastructure and opened its first overseas brigade since World War II.
But to achieve this goal, the military will need more personnel, sparking intense debate within the country. The government’s announced goal is to increase the number of active-duty military personnel from the current 180,000 to more than 260,000, and to increase the number of reservists by an additional 200,000.
In November 2024, the government of former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz approved a bill that would require 18-year-old men to complete a survey regarding their physical and health status, in addition to demonstrating a willingness to serve in the Bundeswehr. It was hoped that this process would result in more young people entering military service.
However, politicians expressed concern that the government’s plan was insufficient, as it fell far short of the then-proposed target of 203,000 active duty soldiers.
What will change?
The current agreement goes forward by requiring all men born after January 1, 2008 to report to military units and undergo mandatory medical examinations. They will also still be required to complete a “motivation and suitability” questionnaire to serve in the military.
Pistorius aims for the bill to come into force in early 2026. Medical records will be needed to determine who can be called up by the Bundeswehr in case of war, according to a document obtained by the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
The main objective is to increase the number of young people, primarily in the reservists. This allows you, when needed, to meet demand based on an assessment of who can best serve, rather than filling it by drawing lots of new employees.
For Pistorius, he said on Monday it was about assessing who is “genuinely capable of acting in a defense emergency and knowing exactly who is suitable to be called up.”
The model also offers incentives to those who serve on a volunteer basis, including a higher salary of about 2,600 euros (about R$15,900) per month and the possibility of extending their service hours. In addition, anyone who has served at least 12 months can qualify as a temporary soldier and therefore be entitled to other benefits, such as a stipend to obtain a driver’s license.
An excerpt of the plan obtained by Welt newspaper states that Congress will decide by law to further introduce compulsory military service as necessary, “particularly if the national defense policy situation or the military personnel situation so requires.”
“If the number of recruits in a particular year exceeds the required number, a random selection process may be used as a last resort after exemptions from military service and all other measures have been applied. Compulsory military service is not automatically triggered.”
unanswered questions
In addition to the details of how the lottery to fill the vacant seats will be conducted, other questions remain unanswered. It does not define what happens if a recruit comes forward and is selected for military service but refuses to take up arms.
It is also not defined how this rule applies to women. German law states that conscription for women can only be introduced through a constitutional amendment, which can only be passed by a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag.
gq/cn (DPA, OTS)
About The Author
