Germany restores mandatory conscription: voluntary or by lottery
15 October 11:45
Germany will resume compulsory conscription, which was suspended in 2011, if it fails to mobilize the required number of volunteers even through a lottery. This is reported by Spiegel, "Komersant Ukrainian" informs
According to the newspaper, in recent weeks, representatives of the CDU/CSU and the SPD have been discussing a new model of military recruitment and have reached a compromise.
How the new system will work
- At the first stage, service will remain voluntary.
- All 18-year-old boys will receive a questionnaire that will ask about their health, physical fitness, education, and attitude toward service.
- Women and people of the third gender will be able to fill out the questionnaire if they wish.
- If there are not enough volunteers, a lottery will be held to recruit.
- If the lottery fails, the mandatory conscription, which was suspended in 2011, will return.
Legislative innovations
The German parliament is to pass a law according to which men who are fit for service will be drafted into the Bundeswehr until the army receives the required number of soldiers. Those who refuse to serve for religious or political reasons will undergo alternative service.
It also provides for the return of general military service in the event of a state of tension or defense. The Minister of Defense will determine the annual military requirements of the Bundeswehr until 2035 and report to the Bundestag.
Plan for the future
The German Minister of Defense is to determine the Bundeswehr’s manpower requirements until 2035 and report annually to the Bundestag on the figures.
According to the newspaper, it is expected that in the next five years the number of soldiers will increase from the current 183,000 to 260,000. In addition, Germany needs to create 200,000 reservists.
It is noteworthy that a public presentation of the compromise agreement was to take place on October 14, but it was canceled due to criticism from the SPD. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the agreement differs significantly from his original bill and is impractical.
