Germany is preparing 24 new centres to assess young volunteers for military service as Berlin expands the Bundeswehr under new conscription measures linked to NATO goals and the Ukraine war.
Germany Sets Up Draft Centres
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Tag: conscription
Germany Weighs Raising Reservist Age Limit
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Germany’s reservists’ chief has proposed raising the age limit to 70 to address recruitment gaps. The plan comes as Berlin reviews military readiness and aims to expand its armed forces and reserve strength by 2035.
Draft-Age German Men Need Travel Approval
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Germany now requires men aged 17–45 to seek approval for stays abroad over three months under its new military service law. The rule supports efforts to track availability as the country works to expand troop numbers.
Germany Starts Draft Process for 18-Year-Olds
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Germany’s military has begun sending questionnaires to 18-year-olds as part of the country’s new military service programme. The forms are the first step in assessing interest and suitability for service, as Berlin looks to increase troop numbers under a law that came into force on January 1.
German lower house passes new voluntary military service
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Germany’s Bundestag has passed legislation to introduce a new voluntary military service from January 1, requiring young men to undergo medical checks and be added to a national register while keeping service itself voluntary. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius urged support for the measure, arguing that core democratic freedoms must be actively defended. The law also allows parliament to trigger needs-based conscription if recruitment goals are not met.
German Left-Wing Leader: Smoke Joint to Avoid Draft
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Left-wing politician Jan van Aken has drawn attention by suggesting that young men could use marijuana to avoid Germany’s planned new military service assessments. His party, The Left, is preparing guidance opposing the government’s proposal to evaluate all young men born in 2008 or later for a new voluntary service programme, which could become compulsory if recruitment falls short.
German Govt Compromises On Military Draft
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Germany’s coalition government has agreed on a new military service model that begins as a voluntary programme but allows parliament to introduce conscription if recruitment falls short.
Top German General Urges Mandatory Assessment of Young Men for Military Service
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The German military’s inspector general, Carsten Breuer, has called for assessing all young men for potential service to ensure readiness in a defence emergency. Supported by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, the plan aligns with a new military service law taking effect on January 01, 2026.
Germany conscription likely after suspension ‘mistake’
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As the German Bundeswehr grapples with a shortage of 60,000 soldiers, Chancellor Freidrich Merz said, “We will probably … not be able to manage with the current voluntary system alone, but will need additional elements of compulsory military service.”
Europeans divided on increased NATO defence spending
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A survey published on Monday by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) found that support for increased defence spending is highest in Poland and Denmark (70 percent), followed by Britain (57 percent), Estonia (56 percent) and Portugal (54 percent).
German defence minister proposes ‘selective’ military service system
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400,000 people will have to complete a questionnaire each year, and some 40,000 candidates could then take part in the physical mandatory physical check-up call-up. Pistorius stressed that he anticipates only summoning those who indicate a voluntary interest.
