Germany’s Federal Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius, proposed a new conscription plan on Wednesday (June 12th). In the future, all 18-year-olds will receive a military registration questionnaire through digital means, with males being required to fill out the form and females having the option to do so voluntarily.
The purpose of the questionnaire is to determine the interests, health conditions, and hobbies of potential applicants. Subsequently, each year around 50,000 young people deemed “most suitable and interested” will be invited to participate in training camps, which will be compulsory.
Pistorius aims to significantly increase the personnel of the Federal Armed Forces through the new conscription system. He explained his plan at the Federal Parliament’s Defense Committee, emphasizing a six-month basic military service that can be voluntarily extended.
Specifically, new recruits will have two options: lower-ranking rifle carriers can participate in a six-month basic military service, or opt for a service lasting 12 to 17 months to gain a deeper understanding of the structure of the German Federal Armed Forces, such as learning to provide certain IT services or driving tanks.
Pistorius stated that military service is “meaningful.” Potential recruits should be persuaded through bonuses and the knowledge and certificates (such as driver’s licenses) obtained during their service.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) Minister of Defense justified his proposal in light of changes in the situation caused by the war in Ukraine. He highlighted the escalating verbal attacks by Russian President Putin and the State Duma on NATO countries, noting that Russia’s economy has shifted towards a war economy. By 2029, Russia will possess the military capability to attack NATO countries.
However, the current personnel gap in the German active forces cannot be filled solely through conscription reform. The long-term goal of the German Federal Armed Forces is to have 460,000 soldiers, with 203,000 being full-time troops and the rest being reserves. In order to achieve this goal, Germany also needs to train 200,000 reserve soldiers. Currently, the German Federal Armed Forces have around 181,000 active-duty soldiers. For comparison, during the Cold War, Germany had about 500,000 active-duty soldiers and approximately 800,000 reservists.
Germany has implemented mandatory conscription since 1956. In 2011, the then German government suspended mandatory conscription and introduced a new voluntary service system. Furthermore, it was decided to reduce the number of soldiers from 255,000 to 185,000. The term “suspended” was used because the regulations at that time allowed for the reinstatement of mandatory conscription in times of “tension and defense needs.”
Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius unequivocally stated on June 5th in the Federal Parliament that Germany must prepare for war. He said, “We must prepare for war before 2029.” “We need to provide enough deterrence to prevent things from escalating to the worst extent.”
Pistorius emphasized, “For me, it is important that we ensure the security value of the entire society and take new security policies seriously.” No one should believe that “Putin will stop at the Ukrainian border.” He further stated that preparing for defense requires three elements: “personnel, materials, and finances.”
Firstly, the German Federal Armed Forces need sufficient personnel to sustain and develop. Additionally, in terms of budget issues, the federal government must “continue to invest heavily in the Federal Armed Forces.” Specific budget plans are scheduled to be completed by 2025, with funds to be withdrawn in 2027. During this period, Germany will meet NATO’s goal of allocating at least 2% of its GDP for defense.