Germany Preparing for War: Mandatory Military Service Back on the Agenda

As tensions rise between Europe and Russia and the possibility of a future conflict grows, Germany is stepping up military preparations. The government has allocated €100 billion for new weapons and ammunition, and is considering major structural changes — including the reintroduction of compulsory military service — to expand its armed forces.

The coalition government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz has introduced a bill titled “Modernization of Military Service”, which has now entered parliamentary debate.

Among the proposed ideas — inspired by the Danish model — is a system in which eligible young people are selected by lottery to serve in the military.

Under the new plan, all men turning 18 will be required to complete a “readiness declaration” — an online form that serves as a type of pre-conscription registration. The form will ask for personal data, physical information (height and weight), education level, skills, and whether they are willing to serve voluntarily.

Those who volunteer will also be able to choose the duration of their service. However, if the number of volunteers falls short of the army’s needs, mandatory conscription will be implemented.

Germany’s current active troop count of 183,000 is projected to rise to at least 260,000 by 2035, while the number of reservists will increase from 49,000 to 200,000.

Germany had suspended compulsory military service in 2011, following the end of the Cold War. Since then, defense spending and weapons procurement have been significantly reduced, and the size of the armed forces has been scaled down.

Source: BBC Türkçe