US EditionGerman Parliament Backs Controversial Military Service Law Amid Russian Threat
The new law aims to increase Bundeswehr personnel to 260,000 active soldiers and 200,000 reservists by 2035 with voluntary service prioritized over limited conscription.
- On Dec 5, the Bundestag approved a new military service law in Berlin, creating a dual-track system with voluntary short-term service and a retained needs-based conscription option.
- After conscription was suspended in 2011, Germany struggled to attract volunteers and rising concerns about Russia and European partners pushed Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to act.
- Starting January 2026, all 18-year-olds will receive a questionnaire men must answer and women may opt in, with medical evaluations phased in for men born after January 1, 2008 from mid-2027.
- The vote passed with 323-272 and one abstention, triggering nationwide school student protests and more than 3,000 conscientious objection applications, while the Defense Ministry must report recruitment figures every six months from January 2027.
- The law aims to reach 260,000 active soldiers and at least 200,000 reservists by 2035, with capacity to process 300,000 men annually, according to officials.
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44 Articles
Several thousand pupils throughout Germany protested against the military reform, which was approved by the Bundestag in the morning. In dozens of cities and communities, young people gathered for rallies.
The German Bundestag has definitively approved the introduction of the new military service. The decision immediately sparked massive youth protests. According to the reform, young men will be required to undergo medical examinations starting January 1st, but actual conscription will remain voluntary. The introduction of a partial conscription had been on the table for some time, but the parties had not yet reached an agreement on the details of…
BERLIN. — The German Parliament adopted on Friday a new and controversial military service law aimed at expanding the ranks of the Bundeswehr — the German Armed Forces — in a context of growing tension with Russia and pressure for Europe to strengthen its defence capabilities. The plan, driven by the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, combines incentives for voluntary service with the option — if the recruitments are below schedule — of ac…
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