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Germany Moves Closer to Conscription

New plan would require 18-year-old men to answer questions on health, willingness to serve
Posted Aug 27, 2025 10:45 AM CDT
Germany Moves Closer to Conscription
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is seen in Berlin on Tuesday.   (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

As tensions with Russia intensify and doubts grow over US military support for Europe, Germany is taking cautious steps toward bringing back compulsory military service for the first time in more than a decade. On Wednesday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Cabinet backed a plan to reintroduce a version of conscription, suspended since 2011, as Germany looks to shore up the ranks of the the German armed forces amid a historic pivot away from decades of postwar pacifism. The proposal, still awaiting parliamentary approval, wouldn't immediately draft citizens into service. Instead, it would require 18-year-old men, beginning next year, to complete a questionnaire about their health and willingness to serve, per the Washington Post.

A further step kicks in by 2027, mandating a fitness exam for all 18-year-old men. Women would have the option to participate in the process voluntarily. The legislation also leaves the door open for full conscription in the future, excluding objectors who could instead opt for civil service. The aim, for now at least, is to have up-to-date data on potential conscripts in case a rapid mobilization becomes necessary. According to the bill, "Russia will remain the greatest threat to security in Europe for the foreseeable future." The government hopes to boost troop numbers from 180,000 to 260,000 and raise annual enlistment from 15,000 to about 38,000 by 2030, per Reuters. While pay raises and new recruiting strategies are in the works, officials and critics alike doubt voluntary enlistment alone will meet these goals.

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