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Law: What the German "new military service" should look like

2024-11-06 15:25:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The German Ministry of Defense with a draft law is laying the foundations for the introduction of a new military service in Germany. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius hopes the Federal Cabinet will approve his plans, which should clear a major hurdle.

Why is a new model of military service necessary?

Given the changing threat situation, the German Armed Forces, the Bundeswehr, must be increased in numbers. On the one hand, it is about the number of active soldiers. In the following years, their number will increase from about 180,000 to about 200,000. More reservists will also be needed. Since the suspension of conscription in 2011, the Bundeswehr has resorted to recruiting volunteers, for example through armed forces career centers.

Until today, every year about 10,000 young men and women have volunteered for military service. This opportunity will continue to exist. However, it will not be enough to solve the personnel problems of the troops.

How does the new model work?

When they reach military service age, usually 18, young men and women will receive a letter with a QR code containing an online questionnaire from the Bundeswehr. Men have the duty to complete the questionnaire. If they fail to do so even after being asked to do so, they face a fine. For women, participation is voluntary. There are supposed to be only a few questions. Planners estimate it will take about 15 minutes to complete.

Among other things, the questionnaire asks about physical fitness and general readiness to perform military service. The Bundeswehr then reviews the questionnaires, makes a selection and invites the candidates for compulsory military service. In the first year, 5,000 candidates will be recruited for military service. According to the Federal Ministry of Defense, the training capabilities of the Bundeswehr are currently not sufficient for more recruits.

Law: What the German "new military service" should look like

Why is it only mandatory for men?

The former compulsory military service, suspended, applied only to men. This no longer seems appropriate today. Many women are interested in serving in the Bundeswehr. The Federal Ministry of Defense is studying whether the obligation to fill out the questionnaire in the new mandatory military service can also be applied to women. Experts believe that this would require the amendment of the constitution, the Basic Law.

At the moment, the German government does not want to address this issue. Therefore, women's participation is still not mandatory.

What exactly will military service look like?

It would start with six months of so-called basic service. Then, there is the possibility to extend it up to 23 months. If the service lasts beyond the first six months, it can be linked to incentives such as obtaining a special driving license or counting the time of the military service period in anticipation of a university place. The basic salary is expected to be around 1800 euros per month.

Can the "new military service" solve the recruitment problem?

If the Chamber of Lands, the Bundesrat and the Bundestag give the law the green light, it could possibly take effect next spring. It seems realistic that the planned 5,000 places will be fully filled with volunteers in the first year.

However, the plans of the Bundeswehr foresee an increase in the number of military service quotas in the coming years. It is uncertain whether this objective can be achieved by the principle of voluntary service alone. Therefore, it is not excluded that it is necessary to make changes in the military service, to make it much more mandatory./ DW