Green light for Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius' plans for military service: The German government has approved legal changes for conscription in Germany. In the future, young men will have to provide information on whether they wish to serve in the army and what abilities they possess, explains the German public broadcaster ARD.
Why is a new model of military service needed?
In view of the growing threats, Germany needs a bigger army. On the one hand, this affects the number of military personnel, which in the next few years should grow from 180,000 today to around 200,000. There is also a need for more reservists.
Since compulsory military service was abolished in 2011, the Bundeswehr has relied on the recruitment of volunteers - for example through the armed forces' career centres. Until now, each year around 10,000 young men and women have signed up for voluntary military service. This opportunity will continue to exist. But this will not be enough to solve the personnel problems of the army, adds ARD.
What are the changes?
On reaching military service age, usually 18, young men and women will receive a letter with a QR code leading to an online Bundeswehr questionnaire. Men will have to fill it out if they don't want to pay a fine. For women, participation is voluntary.
The question paper will contain only a few questions and it is estimated that it will take no more than 15 minutes to complete. There will be questions about whether young people are fundamentally ready to serve in the army and what their physical training is.
The Bundeswehr will then evaluate the questionnaires and, after a selection has been made, invite the promising candidates for conscription. In the first year, 5,000 candidates for military service are expected to be recruited in this way. According to the Ministry of Defense, the Bundeswehr currently has no greater capacity for training conscripts.
Why is the questionnaire mandatory only for men?
Abolishing conscription only applied to men. Today, this is no longer up to date. Many women are interested in serving in the Bundeswehr, and the Ministry of Defense is investigating whether the obligation to complete the military service questionnaire can also apply to women. Experts are of the opinion that for this it will be necessary to change the Basic Law, as the Constitution is also known in Germany.
For the time being, the German government does not intend to pursue such an amendment. Until then, women's participation will not be mandatory.
What exactly will military service look like?
In the beginning, 6 months of basic service are planned, with the possibility of extending it up to 23 months. For the extension of the service after the first six months, some incentives are foreseen: such as acquiring a special driver's license or respecting the period of military service when applying for university.
The basic salary of the conscripts will be around 1,800 euros per month, the public media also states.
Could this solve the Bundeswehr's staffing problem?
If the Bundesrat and Bundestag give the green light to the law, it is likely to enter into force in the spring of next year. It seems realistic that in the first year it will be possible to fill the planned 5,000 places with only volunteers.
But the Bundeswehr plans to increase the number of places for military service in the coming years. It is doubtful that this goal can be achieved on the principle of voluntary service alone. Because of this, further legal changes to truly compulsory military service may be imposed, the ARD publication also says.