"Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Cabinet last month agreed a new law requiring young men born after 2008 to fill out a questionnaire as of next year on whether they would potentially join the army. Many see this as the first step towards reintroducing military service in Germany, which was suspended, but not abolished, in 2011. In an interview with the French broadcaster TF1, Merz said it had been a "mistake, from today's point of view" to suspend military service, but added that reintroducing it was complex."
"Germany's Bundeswehr currently has around 180,000 military personnel, but must reach 260,000 active soldiers and 200,000 reservists to meet its NATO obligations. Through a series of new incentives, the government is hoping to recruit some 30,000 new soldiers every year until 2029. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has already said that the new law allows the parliament new measures to bring in national service should those targets not be met."
Advice centers for those unwilling to perform military service in Germany have seen rising demand, with nearly 55,000 clicks on one group's advice pages in August and a 30% increase in requests reported by another. The government introduced a law requiring young men born after 2008 to complete a questionnaire about potential army service, and officials described suspending conscription in 2011 as a mistake while acknowledging complexity in reintroducing it. The Bundeswehr aims to expand from around 180,000 personnel to 260,000 active soldiers and 200,000 reservists, targeting recruitment of about 30,000 new soldiers annually until 2029, with legal options for national service if targets fall short.
Read at www.dw.com
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