Thursday, November 13
Germany will reintroduce elements of compulsory military service under a new model agreed by the CDU/CSU and SPD after weeks of negotiations. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) plans for the law to come into force in early 2026.
Starting next year, all 18-year-olds – born from 2008 or later – will receive questionnaires assessing their willingness to serve, physical fitness and education level. The survey will be mandatory for men and voluntary for women.
The government initially hopes to recruit 20,000 volunteers, but if numbers fall short a “needs-based conscription” could be triggered. In that case, the Bundestag plans to authorise a lottery draft among medically examined men, stopping short of a full return to universal conscription.
From mid-2027, entire male cohorts – around 300,000 individuals each year – will undergo medical assessments. Those who serve more than 12 months will qualify as temporary soldiers, with significantly higher pay.
The reform marks Germany’s most significant military restructuring in over a decade, driven by Russia’s war in Ukraine and revised NATO defence planning. Berlin aims to expand the Bundeswehr to 260,000 active soldiers and 200,000 reservists by 2035 – an increase of 80,000. The force currently stands around 80,000 short of its previous goal of 203,000 troops, a target never reached.
