Tag: military recruitment

German lower house passes new voluntary military service

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) casts his voting card in the German Bundestag during a roll-call vote on the law for a new military service | Photo: Christophe Gateau/dpa

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.