Germany may revive compulsory military service by mid-2027
text_fields
Germany will decide by July 2027 whether to reintroduce compulsory military service if voluntary recruitment fails to meet troop targets, the chairman of the German parliament's defence committee has said.
Conservative MP Thomas Roewekamp told AFP that Berlin's voluntary military service model has so far fallen short of expectations as Germany seeks to expand its armed forces in response to growing security concerns.
Germany aims to increase the strength of its military from the current 185,000 personnel to at least 260,000 by 2035 amid what it describes as a growing threat from Russia and uncertainty over future US security commitments.
The government introduced a voluntary military service model in November, alongside compulsory registration for 18-year-old men. However, only 530 recruits joined between January and May despite around 300,000 young people being contacted.
"If Germany cannot reach its targets through the voluntary system, we will have to return to conscription," Roewekamp said, adding that a decision would need to be taken by July 31, 2027.
He said Germany would assess in the first half of next year whether the armed forces could achieve their recruitment goals through voluntary enlistment alone.
Roewekamp said compulsory service would not apply to every 18-year-old but would recruit only the number of soldiers required each year.
Germany suspended mandatory military service in 2011. Since then, Roewekamp said, there has been little public discussion with younger generations about national defence.
He also reiterated Berlin's assessment that Russia could be in a position to attack a NATO member by 2029.
Roewekamp called for Europe to strengthen its own defence capabilities, citing uncertainty over long-term US military support and the need to reduce dependence on external suppliers.
He also expressed hope that the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8 would send a strong signal of alliance unity, saying Russia was seeking to undermine NATO cohesion.