After several months of political debate, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government managed to push forward the bill providing for a new military service for Germany. Unlike the old army, suspended in 2011, the new model will be supported by volunteers; and, for the moment, it does not contain any automatic mechanism that makes it mandatory in the event that not enough volunteers show up.
The goal of this new law, which has yet to pass the German Parliament, is to increase the number of temporary and professional soldiers in the German army: from the current 182,000 to 260,000 in 2035. Furthermore, 200,000 reservists will be needed. To encourage a sufficient number of volunteers, the starting salary of new hires will be 2,600 euros gross.
Until now, soldiers in voluntary military service earned between 1,800 and 2,200 euros a month. And if they commit for a year, their driving license will also be subsidized. Additionally, contributions to compulsory pension insurance will be paid during military service.
“Other European countries, especially those in the north, show that the principle of voluntariness works when combined with attractiveness, and I hope the same happens here too,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said, after the leaders of the coalition between conservatives and Social Democrats reached an agreement on Wednesday evening.
Politicians have worked for weeks to find a solution that would satisfy all government partners for a bill initially agreed in late August and then presented with high expectations. But some time later, the conservatives’ discontent with the new rule for “modernization of military service” began to sound louder and louder, and the partners had to sit down again to amend the draft of the bill. The Conservatives wanted a mechanism included that would automatically trigger a return to compulsory military service if not enough volunteers turned up. Something they ultimately failed to achieve.
The new law provides that starting next year all young people who turn 18 will receive a letter from the German army asking them to fill out a questionnaire, voluntary for women and mandatory for men. He will ask them, for example, whether they are interested in military service, what their height and weight is, whether they suffer from any illnesses or what education they have. If the questionnaire is not completed, is completed late, or is knowingly completed with false information, a fine may be imposed, even if the amount is not currently known.
Those who express their interest in voluntary military service in the questionnaire will be invited by the German army to ascertain their mental, physical and character suitability. From July 2027 all men born after 2008, regardless of their expressed interest, will have to undergo a mandatory medical examination. Basic military service lasts at least six months. Furthermore, each person can individually decide how long they wish to serve in the military. A monthly extension of up to 23 months is possible.
Recruitment will begin gradually as it is not possible to recruit 300,000 men from a generation at once due to the current lack of capacity, and this is not expected to be achieved before mid-2027. So far the German army does not have trained personnel and barracks to house the soldiers. Furthermore, with the suspension of compulsory military service, the approximately 50 recruiting offices where medical examinations were carried out were abolished. These are now expected to take place mainly in urban centers where the German army plans to rent more than 20 facilities for this purpose.
The new rules aim first and foremost to verify who is suitable and motivated to serve in the German Armed Forces. The German army hopes to have enough volunteers. However, if not enough progress is made, compulsory military service could be introduced, which remains enshrined in the Constitution, subject to approval by the German Parliament. In this case, a lottery procedure may apply.
According to the German Constitution, men between the ages of 18 and 45 are subject to compulsory military service. In case of defense or tension, military service may be imposed on them up to the age of 60. In the case of women it is different: since they are not included, the Constitution should be changed.
