The Bundeswehr Struggles with Manpower: Voluntary Service Falling Short?
Military leader perceives German Army at brink of voluntary enlistment.
Taking a straightforward and chatty approach, let's dive into the discussions surrounding the Bundeswehr's manpower issues and the increasingly loud calls for reintroducing conscription, suspended back in 2011. The black-red coalition prefers sticking with voluntary service for the time being, but a high-ranking officer has doubts about its sustainability.
Major General Andreas Henne, head of the Bundeswehr's Home Defense Division, recently expressed his concerns to Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). He voiced his belief that a compulsory element may become essential in the long run for protecting defense-critical infrastructure. With the current reliance on voluntarism, the more soldiers we need, according to Henne, the closer we'll get to the limits of voluntary service.
"I require more soldiers than I can currently get to secure defense-critical infrastructure," Henne told RND. He went on to say that the plans involve encouraging as many volunteers as possible initially, but the limits of voluntarism will likely be reached as the need for more soldiers grows. The first batch of volunteers will be called up this year, and the army is prepared for the event, he added.
In light of conscription's suspension in 2011, Henne mentioned that if a crisis or war occurred, recruitment would be necessary, and the suspended conscription would be reinstated. He also highlighted the regrettable notion of a conscripted military that affects only men and urged reconsidering this practice with a potential change in the basic law.
Henne stated the necessity of developing a Bundeswehr that is defense-capable and can deter potential threats. His comments echo sentiments from the Cold War era, where the logistics race proved vital in deterring adversaries.
The coalition agreement, between the Union and SPD, advocates for a new voluntary military service model. This compromise aligns with SPD demands, as the Union had previously sought the end of conscription's suspension.
However, Norbert Röttgen, deputy chairman of the Union faction, aims to include a compulsory element in the new military service law, should voluntarism fail to provide the necessary personnel expansion for the Bundeswehr. Röttgen underlined the importance of preparing alternative instruments in case voluntarism doesn't succeed now, as there's no room for delays in such matters.
Currently, the Bundeswehr boasts around 180,000 active soldiers. By 2031, its objective is to reach more than 200,000, but as the demand for soldiers persists, conversations about possible conscription reemergence continue to expand.
Sources: ntv.de, gut/dpa
Bonus Insights:
- As of April 2025, the German military had around 182,000 personnel, and the goal was to reach 200,000 by 2031[1][3].
- Defense Minister Boris Pistorius acknowledged that while the preferred approach is voluntary service, the possibility of reintroducing conscription is under consideration if volunteered numbers prove insufficient[2][3].
- The debate over military conscription is influenced by broader strategic concerns, such as enhancing national defense capabilities and meeting NATO requirements, which may necessitate a more robust human resource strategy[5].
EC countries, keeping up with the Bundeswehr's manpower dilemma, might reconsider their vocational training and education policies to provide skilled professionals for the defense sector. This much-needed addition would equip the Bundeswehr with the necessary personnel in preparation for future crises or conflicts.
On the political and legislative front, both the Union and SPD have explored different approaches to address the Bundeswehr's manpower issues. Whether it's a focus on voluntary service or the reintroduction of conscription, policy-and-legislation developments are closely watched by both domestic and general-news outlets.
