German Govt Compromises On Military Draft

Alexander Hoffmann (L-R), CSU parliamentary group leader, Matthias Miersch, SPD parliamentary group leader, Jens Spahn, chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, and Boris Pistorius (SPD), Federal Minister of Defense, at a press conference on the agreement in principle over the dispute over the military service reform | Photo: Kay Nietfeld/dpa

By Carsten Hoffmann

Berlin: Germany’s new military service model is set to go ahead after Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition on Thursday reached a hard-won compromise to boost the country’s armed forces, with plans in place for conscription if voluntary enlistment falls short.

The plan would allow parliament to call up young men at random to fill the ranks if the military service programme, which is initially voluntary, fails to provide enough fresh recruits for the Bundeswehr, Germany’s military.

The government, made up of Merz’s conservative bloc and the centre-left Social Democrats, has pledged to introduce a voluntary military service in response to rising challenges to national security, including the increasing threat from Russia.

However, the parties struggled to reach a consensus on key aspects of the bill, including what mechanisms should apply if not enough young men volunteer.

Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who is aiming for the proposed legislation to take effect by early 2026, welcomed the agreement, which still needs to be approved by parliament.

“There is no reason for concern, no reason for fear,” said Pistorius.

“Because the lesson is quite clear: the more capable our armed forces are of deterrence and defence, through armament, training and personnel, the less likely we are to become involved in a conflict at all,” he added. “And that serves everyone, as the experience of the Cold War has shown. So there is no reason whatsoever to worry.”

The debate comes amid soaring security concerns in Europe, driven by the Russian war against Ukraine, now into its fourth winter, and the shift in US foreign policy under President Donald Trump.

NATO is planning to bolster its defensive posture in Europe with new national targets for rearmament and recruitment.

The Bundeswehr is due to expand by around 80,000 active personnel to 260,000, with an additional 200,000 reservists, largely drawn from the new military service scheme.

But with previous recruitment targets having been repeatedly missed, leading politicians from Merz’s bloc – made up of his Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) – raised concerns that the government’s plans were insufficient.

There was significant friction in the coalition over whether the military service bill should include an automatic mechanism to switch to compulsory recruitment if volunteer numbers fall short.

Germany suspended compulsory military service in 2011, but it can be reinstated by a simple parliamentary majority, including in times of heightened tension or defence emergencies.

The country’s Basic Law, or constitution, currently mandates service only for men; proposals to include women would require a constitutional amendment.

Under the agreement, young men born in 2008 or later are to be eligible for military service.

SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch said he was “absolutely certain” that the new voluntary military service would be sufficient to hit recruitment targets for the Bundeswehr.

But if this is not the case, the parliament will have to revisit the issue, he admitted.