Germany approves army reform: What new law changes

Germany’s upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat, has followed the Bundestag in approving the law on the modernization of military service.

The main goal of the legislation is to increase the size of the Bundeswehr from its current approximately 184,000 personnel to 255,000–270,000 by 2035.

Starting next year, all young people born in 2008 or later will receive a personal questionnaire. The form will include, among other things, a question about their motivation to serve in the military.

• Men are required to complete the questionnaire.
• Women may do so voluntarily, as Germany’s Basic Law does not mandate their conscription.

The law also stipulates that for men born on or after January 1, 2008, conscription will become mandatory again; however, in practice, this provision will take effect later, following separate government decisions.

In early December, students across Germany protested against the reform, expressing their opposition since military service in the country is currently voluntary.

The governing coalition parties agreed on a compromise model for the new service in November, but the progress of the bill was not straightforward.

CDU/CSU bloc deputies criticized the legislation for lacking clear conditions under which the voluntary system could automatically switch to mandatory service. This was a key reason why the bill’s consideration in the Bundestag was delayed.

The reform comes amid growing security challenges in Europe and Berlin’s aim to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities and fulfill its NATO commitments. As a result, the size and recruitment model of the Bundeswehr have become one of the central issues in German politics in recent years.

The German parliament has approved a new voluntary service program for 18-year-olds. Men will be required to complete a questionnaire and undergo a medical examination.

We previously reported on the new military service rules in Germany. The reform, agreed upon by the coalition parties, mandates registration and medical checks for all men aged 18 and over.

RBC-Ukraine noted that the Bundeswehr has already taken measures to improve the army’s image, including raising salaries and covering costs for driver’s license training.

In particular, the Bundeswehr released a pessimistic report showing that Germany is currently not prepared for a potential conflict, including shortcomings in its medical system and other key sectors.