Preparation for a potential return to military service is being demanded by allies
Germany Moves Towards Reintroducing Conscription for Military Expansion
Germany is set to revive a form of conscription as part of its plans to expand the Bundeswehr, the country's armed forces. The move, expected to become law by early 2026, aims to boost the number of active personnel and reserves significantly, according to reports.
Thomas Röwekamp, the chairman of the Defense Committee, has voiced his support for this change. He believes that the current bill, which is too ambitious in terms of timeline, may not be suitable to achieve the goal of NATO's defense capability at the end.
Röwekamp, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has called for adjustments to the law regarding the expansion of the Bundeswehr. His faction, along with the Union (CDU and CSU), advocates for the inclusion of conscription in law now.
Under the proposed legislation, all 18-year-old men born after December 31, 2007, will be required to complete online questionnaires to gauge their willingness to serve in the military. If volunteer numbers do not meet targets, full compulsory conscription, including for women, could be reinstated.
The Bundeswehr currently has approximately 182,000 active personnel. The government plans to increase active forces to over 260,000 and reserves to 200,000 by 2029. Volunteer recruitment is targeted at about 5,000 initially, rising to 30,000 annually by 2029.
To boost recruitment, incentives such as subsidized driving licenses, free healthcare, rail travel, language courses, and increased monthly salaries (over €2,000) are planned.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have all publicly supported the reintroduction of conscription to adapt to heightened security threats from Russia and perceived reduced US security guarantees for Europe.
Röwekamp, however, has expressed doubts about the voluntary military service planned by Defense Minister Pistorius (SPD). He suggests that quick and unbureaucratic reintroduction of conscription should be possible if necessary for the expansion of the Bundeswehr.
If the recruitment of new soldiers through voluntary models fails, the state must be able to react quickly, says Röwekamp. He also suggests that a legal authorization is required for the federal government to immediately reintroduce conscription in certain circumstances.
Röwekamp spoke out in favor of legally regulating the return to conscription in the podcast "Berlin Playbook" of "Politico". His goal is to ensure the capabilities promised to NATO are implementable in terms of personnel.
The Union's proposal aims to ensure the swift reintroduction of conscription if necessary for the expansion of the Bundeswehr. This move is seen as a response to the perceived worsening security environment in Europe.
- The proposed legislation in Germany's politics, involving the expansion of the Bundeswehr, includes a plan for online questionnaires to gauge the willingness of 18-year-old men to serve in the military, which falls under policy-and-legislation.
- In response to the perceived worsening security environment in Europe, the reintroduction of conscription is a topic being discussed under general-news, with Thomas Röwekamp advocating for a swift and unbureaucratic reinstatement of conscription if voluntary models fail.
