Germany considers restoring military conscription over Russia threat
Bundeswehr service members (photo: Getty Images)
Germany may take a step it abandoned more than 15 years ago. The reason is a shortage of military personnel and growing concerns over the threat posed by Russia, according to The Telegraph.
Berlin considers bringing back mandatory military service for men as early as 2027. Officials fear that volunteer recruitment alone will not be enough to strengthen the armed forces amid concerns over Russia.
Thomas Röwekamp, chairman of the Bundestag Defense Committee, said the government would have to restore conscription if voluntary enlistment fails to deliver the required results.
"If we do not manage to reach these targets through voluntary enlistment, we will have to return to compulsory conscription," he emphasized.
According to him, a final decision should be made by July 31 of next year.
Not enough volunteers
In recent years, Germany has been trying to expand its military but has struggled to attract enough recruits. Despite increased defense spending, efforts to bring in sufficient numbers of new personnel have so far fallen short.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has set a goal of increasing the Bundeswehr from around 185,000 troops to 260,000 by 2035. However, lawmakers are skeptical that this target can be reached through voluntary enlistment alone.
Röwekamp said the government should assess recruitment results in the first half of next year and decide whether to reinstate conscription.
Why Germany discusses conscription again
Germany suspended mandatory military service back in 2011. But after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, defense and security have once again become top national priorities.
The German lawmaker also warned that Russia could pose a threat to NATO countries by the end of the decade. For that reason, he argued, Germany must seriously prepare for potential challenges.
Germany has recently been actively reshaping its defense policy amid Russia's war against Ukraine.
Berlin recently unveiled the country's first-ever national military strategy, which identifies Russia as the main threat to European security.
The document states that the Kremlin views military force as a tool to advance its interests and readies itself for a possible confrontation with NATO.
