Germany is considering the possibility of reintroducing compulsory military service for men as early as 2027, if voluntary recruitment into the Bundeswehr does not allow achieving the set goals for increasing the size of the army. This is reported by The Telegraph, as conveyed by UNN.
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Chairman of the Bundestag Defense Committee Thomas Röwekamp stated that voluntary recruitment may prove insufficient to strengthen the armed forces amid threats from Russia.
If we fail to achieve these goals through voluntary recruitment, we will have to return to compulsory military service
According to him, a final decision must be made by July 31, 2027, when the current legislation on the new model of military service is set to take effect.
Plans to strengthen the army
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz previously announced an intention to create the strongest conventional army in Europe. It is planned to increase the size of the Bundeswehr from approximately 185,000 to 260,000 servicemen by 2035.
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Röwekamp admitted that he has serious doubts about whether the necessary growth in the number of military personnel and reservists can be achieved solely on a voluntary basis.
We need to have a very serious discussion about whether we can achieve such ambitious goals only with volunteers. I still have serious doubts that this is possible
Compulsory military service in Germany was suspended back in 2011. However, after the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the country's defense policy changed significantly.
At the beginning of this year, Germany introduced a new model of military service, according to which men of conscription age must fill out a questionnaire regarding physical fitness and undergo a medical examination. At the same time, the government reserved the right to reintroduce compulsory conscription if voluntary recruitment does not provide the necessary number of servicemen.
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