Germany may reinstate mandatory military service.

Germany considers reinstating mandatory conscription into the army

The German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius stated that Germany is considering the possibility of reinstating mandatory service in the army if it fails to ensure a sufficient number of contract soldiers.

'Our model is initially based on voluntary participation. But if the Time comes when we have more available positions than volunteers, then we can make the decision to introduce mandatory service',

Mandatory conscription was abolished in Germany in 2011, but after events in Ukraine, the question of its reinstatement has become relevant again. As of today, the Bundeswehr consists of just over 182.8 thousand personnel, which is insufficient to meet NATO commitments. Therefore, Germany needs an additional 100 thousand military personnel to reach a total army size of 460 thousand, including reservists.

The minister also noted that it is impossible to recruit the necessary number of military personnel solely through volunteers in 2.5 years. It is necessary to mobilize a part of the reserve, which numbers about 800 thousand people, of which only 60 thousand are ready for service. According to the estimates of the Association of Reservists, the national defense requires up to 350 thousand soldiers, and the number of reservists should be around one million people.

Creating the strongest army in Europe

The Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz promised to create the strongest army in Europe by increasing funding for the Bundeswehr to make new voluntary military service attractive. This will help motivate young people to contribute to ensuring the country's security.

Additional context to the article - the urgent question of military service in Germany reflects the rising threats to European security and the need to enhance the country's readiness to respond to potential external threats.