"proud and grateful that we in this house have found democratic paths to considerably and rapidly improve the defensive capabilities of our country"
"Today we are taking the next logical step together: the step to expand our combat forces,"
"to first try to do this using the voluntary route."
"Anti-war demonstrators gathered outside the parliament amid the debate calling for the proposal to be 'shredded'"
Germany's Bundestag began the first reading of legislation to reintroduce military service, initially on a voluntary basis with contested plans to add a mandatory component later if necessary. The modernization bill for the Bundeswehr aims to come into force in 2026, but lawmakers face tight timelines and public friction. Coalition politicians from the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats signaled flexibility and willingness to compromise after communication blunders earlier in the week. Social Democrat Defense Minister Boris Pistorius praised parliament and framed the proposal as a logical step to expand combat forces. Confusion arose after a leaked plan for compulsory recruitment via lottery and a cancelled press conference. Environmentalists and conscientious objectors protested outside parliament, with anti-war demonstrators demanding the proposal be 'shredded'.
Read at www.dw.com
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