Germany may be forced to bring back compulsory military service if the planned new voluntary service program fails to attract enough military personnel, the chairman of the Bundestag defense committee said to the “Rheinische Post“ the chairman of the Bundestag's defense committee, Thomas Rovekamp, a member of the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU), told DPA, quoted by BTA.
He said that the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, are currently short of more than 80,000 professional soldiers and 140,000 reservists, which are needed for Germany to meet its NATO commitments.
“I have serious doubts that this can be achieved through voluntary service alone,” he said.
Rovekamp made the comments ahead of a bill on a new voluntary military service that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius plans to present to the cabinet soon.
Thomas Rovekamp said that the legislation should set clear targets for the annual increase in the army. "The law should also include a mechanism for automatic compulsory conscription if these targets are not met," he added.
Germany abolished conscription in 2011, but it remains enshrined in the country's de facto constitution - the Basic Law - and can be brought back by a simple majority in parliament.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government has pledged to introduce voluntary military service as part of its coalition agreement. If the bill is passed, the voluntary service program could be introduced from the first months of 2026.
Pistorius stressed that the program would focus on voluntary participation, supported by financial incentives, but also stated that the service would remain voluntary, even if it could meet the personnel needs of the Bundeswehr.
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Source: www.bta.bg