The threat situation is increasing: Germany is preparing for a defense event

“The aim is to grow this number year after year and thus increase capacity,” Pistorius explains. And: “We must realize this growth.” From the pool of 400,000 candidates in one year, 5,000 additional conscripts will initially be recruited annually from 2025, and more will be recruited later.

The new model will consist of a basic military service of six months with an option for additional voluntary military service of up to seventeen months. To this end, a mandatory registration will be introduced in which young men will have to indicate that they are willing and able to perform military service – and young women will be able to do so. The equal treatment of men and women in military service is not yet regulated in the Basic Law. Pistorius spoke out to change this, but did not wait to take steps towards a new military service.

Russia’s verbal attacks are increasing
The threat situation is completely different from a few years ago and Russia is waging a war against Ukraine that violates international law, Pistorius explained. Russia has massively increased its weapons spending, is producing stockpiled weapons systems and has transitioned to a war economy. “The verbal attacks against NATO countries and other neighboring countries are visibly and audibly increasing.”

In any case, the plan requires the Conscription Act and the Soldiers Act to be amended. The Minister of Defense made it clear that he expected this to happen in the second quarter of 2025.

Pistorius said: “According to the Bundeswehr and NATO we need around 200,000 additional reservists. That means we are talking about a total of about 460,000 soldiers.” The goal is to have 203,000 standing forces, 60,000 current reservists and 200,000 additional reservists. The Bundeswehr currently has almost 181,000 men and women and approximately 60,000 reservists.

A ‘selective military service’ is planned
Based on the questionnaire, the German Bundeswehr must decide who will be invited to the demonstration. “We are then thinking of selective military service,” Pistorius said. “That is exactly what we want: we want the best and the most motivated and at the same time offer them something in return.” The selected young people must do six months of basic military service and can commit themselves for a total of 23 months. You will receive more than 1,800 euros per month and, for a commitment longer than six months, a bonus of, for example, 5,000 euros.

The military planners assume that their offer will clearly attract sufficient volunteers. Pistorius also mentioned fines as a sanction for the mandatory parts of the system. He said: “But if this has to be done differently, then we should of course always consider a mandatory option.”

However, SPD chairman Saskia Esken continues to rely on voluntary action in the new military service model. “For me, experiencing self-determination is crucial for the acceptance of democracy,” she told the newspapers of media group Funke (Wednesday). The Union criticized the Pistorius plan. Defense policy spokesman Florian Hahn (CSU) said Pistorius “announced a concept for compulsory service and nine months later there is in fact still talk of an enhanced voluntary service.” And: “It is clear that the Chancellor himself and the traffic lights have left him breathless during these nine months.”

Military Commissar: Defend freedom and democracy
The traffic light partners FDP and the Greens emphasized their willingness to have a constructive discussion. The Commissioner for the Military Service, Eva Högl, called for broad support for the new military service model. “It can help address the Bundeswehr’s personnel problems. And it would make a significant contribution to our ability to defend ourselves. Because the entire society must defend our peace, our freedom and our democracy – militarily and civilly,” Högl said in Berlin.

Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in 2011 after 55 years under Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU). This amounted to an abolition of military service and community service. At the same time, virtually all structures for compulsory military service were disbanded. However, the Conscription Act further stipulates that military conscription for men will be revived if the Bundestag determines a situation of tension and defense, although there were no concrete preparations for such a situation after 2011.

Recently, there was public discussion of a broader new task, which could also include emergency services and disaster relief. If young women were required to serve, the Basic Law would have to be changed. FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann said: “In the interest of fairness in military service, both young women and young men should complete a so-called mandatory questionnaire. The concentration on young men imposed by the minister is unlikely to be sustainable.”