Germany’s army reform pays off as military recruits surge by 25%
Bundeswehr soldiers (Photo: Getty Images)
The number of people willing to serve in the Bundeswehr continues to grow. Since the beginning of this year, the German army has received around 38,500 applications, which is 24% more than in the same period last year, according to Die Welt.
New statistics
According to the publication, the number of new appointments to the Bundeswehr ranks has also increased. Currently, around 11,000 people have joined the service, which is 13% more than last year.
At the same time, about 10,000 candidates have already been selected for the next year under the updated voluntary service program lasting up to two years.
The new military registration system is also showing positive results. Within its framework, young adult men are sent digital questionnaires to assess their suitability and readiness for service. Over 96% of recipients responded to the inquiries on time, and every fifth respondent stated their willingness to join the armed forces.
Authorities plan to impose administrative fines on those citizens who ignored the survey. This concerns approximately 4% of the questionnaire recipients.
Bundeswehr reform
As is known, Germany is reforming its army recruitment system against the backdrop of new NATO defense requirements and the growing threat from Russia.
In the spring of 2025, the government introduced a new model of voluntary military service that requires all 18-year-old men to complete a special questionnaire.
The ultimate goal of the reform, promoted by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, is to significantly increase the size of the armed forces. By 2035, Germany plans to increase the number of active military personnel to 260,000 and the combat-ready reserve to 200,000.
Thus, if necessary, the country could deploy a force of up to 460,000 troops.
In April, it was reported that Germany intends to join the Ukrainian Brave1 platform and support the development of drones with a range of up to 1,500 kilometers.
At the end of last year, Boris Pistorius stated that Germany must strengthen its defense, as Moscow's aggressive policy and US calls for greater European self-reliance in security matters require concrete action.
Strengthening the Bundeswehr has become particularly relevant following US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw more than 5,000 American soldiers from Germany.
