German lawmakers approved a government plan on Tuesday to recruit more conscripts to help the country bolster its military amid concerns about the threat from Russia, the Associated Press reported, BTA reported.
The plan calls for mandatory medical examinations for young men. It does not call for mandatory military service, but leaves open the possibility of a limited number of men being called up to serve if necessary.
The Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, approved the plan by 323 votes to 272 with one abstention. It is a revised version of the plan that Chancellor Friedrich Merz's cabinet approved in August.
Germany is spending billions of euros to improve its military equipment after years of neglecting the issue, the AP notes. The government is now turning its attention to the idea of recruiting more people into the army.
It is not the only country aiming to strengthen its armed forces. Last week, France announced a training program for thousands of volunteers aged 18-19, which will begin next year. Belgium and Poland also have plans to recruit more people to train or serve.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told lawmakers that "(Berlin's) allies have turned their attention to Germany" and said it had become the country "that sets the pace on defense in Europe." He said the new law "takes a decisive step towards improving defence capacity".
Germany abolished compulsory military service for men in 2011 and has since found it increasingly difficult to recruit large numbers of volunteers for short-term service. In recent years, the number of conscripts has reached 180,000, compared with 300,000 in 2001.
The plan, which was approved today, provides for more attractive pay and conditions for those who sign up, as well as better training and more flexibility in terms of the length of service, with a minimum of six months.
The aim is to recruit enough soldiers without having to bring back compulsory military service - an idea that is not fully supported by Germany's Social Democratic Party - the smaller coalition partner in Merz's government.
However, the plan leaves open the possibility that parliament could introduce compulsory military service for a limited number of people, who would likely be randomly selected, "especially if the defense situation or the number of servicemen makes this necessary."
Many members of Merz's conservative bloc believe that the barracks will likely become necessary.
From January 2027, the defense ministry will have to report to parliament every six months on the number of new recruits. The legislation sets annual target ranges for the next 10 years for the size of the army and reserves, but does not provide for an automatic mechanism for switching to compulsory military service.