Germany to significantly boost army amid Russian threat
Photo: Friedrich Merz (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Germany is preparing a military service bill that could bring back mandatory conscription. The government aims to increase the size of its armed forces amid threats from Russia, Bloomberg reports.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cabinet will approve the bill on August 27, aiming to strengthen recruitment in the armed forces. The move comes in response to new security threats following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Military service will remain voluntary for now, but the draft includes provisions to reinstate compulsory conscription if personnel shortages arise. This would reverse the 2011 decision that ended conscription. The law could take effect as early as January after parliamentary approval.
Reform goals
The legislation envisions increasing the armed forces by roughly 180,000 personnel, to a total of 460,000. At least 260,000 would be active soldiers, with around 200,000 reservists.
Under the plan, 18-year-old men would be required to complete a questionnaire on their health, skills, and willingness to serve, aiming to boost interest in the Bundeswehr.
Defense Ministry optimism
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the government hopes to make military service attractive enough to avoid mandatory conscription.
"It’s not about sending anyone to any front line, quite the opposite," he told Deutschlandfunk. "A strong Bundeswehr within NATO contributes to effective deterrence, so that no one has to go to war. It’s about deterring anyone who might attack us."
Merz’s priority
Since taking office in May, Merz has made strengthening the armed forces a top priority. He pledged to turn the Bundeswehr into Europe’s most powerful conventional army.
The CDU/CSU and SPD coalition has effectively exempted defense spending from national borrowing restrictions. However, personnel shortages and low interest among young people in military service remain a challenge.
Debates around the bill
To highlight the reform’s importance, the cabinet meeting will take place at the Defense Ministry rather than the Chancellor’s office - the first time since 1992.
Not all of Merz’s allies are satisfied with the bill. Some conservatives demanded that conscription be automatically reinstated if the voluntary model fails.
CDU/CSU Bundestag member Thomas Erndl said he will push for amendments. "We will not allow it to pass without significant changes," he told Tagesspiegel. "The Bundeswehr should say how many personnel it needs to fulfill its tasks and then be guaranteed this number — no more, but also no less."
In July, Merz’s cabinet approved a separate bill to accelerate military planning and procurement as part of the coalition’s effort to quickly transform the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest army.
Earlier this year, Merz relaxed constitutionally enshrined debt limits to allow for higher defense spending.
