Defense Minister states Germany possibly to reintroduce army recruitment
(MENAFN) Germany may have to reintroduce compulsory military service if voluntary enlistment fails to meet the country’s defense needs, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned on Wednesday.
Conscription was suspended in 2011, but the idea of reviving it has gained traction recently due to rising concerns about security threats, particularly from Russia. According to broadcaster N-tv, the ruling coalition—comprising the Social Democrats and Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats—has agreed to adopt a "Swedish model," blending selective mandatory service with voluntary enlistment.
Speaking before the Bundestag, Pistorius emphasized that the initial focus would remain on encouraging young people to join the military voluntarily. “Let me be clear,” he stated, “the key word here is ‘initially.’ If we don’t attract enough volunteers, we’ll have to consider other options.”
He stressed that increasing the number of military personnel is essential for both national defense and Germany’s commitments to NATO. The government plans to boost the number of active soldiers from 180,000 to over 200,000 by 2031.
Pistorius noted a promising 20% rise in military applications during the first quarter of 2025, following a 7% decline in enlistment in 2023, which had raised doubts among officials about reaching recruitment targets.
Despite supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons such as Leopard 2 tanks, German officials insist that the country is not directly involved in the conflict with Russia. In March, General Carsten Breuer described Germany’s position as being in a “grey zone” between war and peace.
Pistorius previously warned during a visit to Lithuania in January that Russia could be preparing for a “theoretical attack” on NATO around 2029 or 2030. Russia has rejected such claims and criticized Germany for escalating tensions, particularly after Chancellor Merz expressed support for sending Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine. Moscow argued that such actions would make Germany a direct participant in the conflict.
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