The opposition criticized the government’s plans for conscription. The Greens talk about “making things worse,” while the Left talks about “bad things.” Student representatives filed demands.
The black-red coalition’s military service compromise received mixed responses. Criticism came mainly from opposition parties – but also from representatives of the younger generation.
Green Party politician Sara Nanni sees the agreement as a “worse fix”. Overall, the proposal sounds more bureaucratic than the initial proposal made by the department and decided by the cabinet. The compromise is now “a real victory for the SPD,” Nanni said. He considers comprehensive testing “almost impossible to do.”
In October, the Unity faction halted a law on new military service that had been passed by the cabinet due to concerns. There were also differences of opinion within the SPD, particularly regarding the lottery process.
The left wants help and Advice center build
Criticism is now also coming from the left wing. Party leader Jan van Aken announced his opposition: “We are against any form of conscription,” he told media group Funke. He also opposed the inclusion of women in possible future military service. “A bad thing doesn’t get better just because it impacts everyone,” van Aken said.
Left-wing parliamentary group leader Sören Pellmann explained that the coalition’s compromise would put the younger generation in charge. “You don’t have to be a prophet to realize that conscription is coming,” Pellmann said. “The Left is already working to develop support and advice services for young people – especially if they wish to refuse military service.”
Dürr: “Completely running out of time”
In contrast, FDP leader Christian Dürr called for changes to the Constitution so that women could also be required to carry out military service. “When it comes to defending our country, we cannot do it without half of our population,” Dürr told the AFP news agency. “The fact that the EU and the SPD exclude women is out of date.” In the Bundestag, a two-thirds majority is required to change the Basic Law, which is considered hopeless. After its weak performance in the last election, the FDP is no longer represented in the Bundestag.
FDP defense politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the Defense Committee in the EU Parliament, spoke of the weakness of the compromise. He criticized the planned lottery process: “The fact that the lottery process is still being planned is simply a dubious approach from the Union and the SPD.”
Federal Student Conference called the agreement inadequate
Secretary General of the Federal Student Conference, Quentin Gärtner, also criticized the agreement as inadequate. In an interview with the German editorial network, he called for the military service law to be flanked “with attacks on the education and mental health of young people” worth 100 billion euros.
“There is not the slightest signal that the state is ready to take responsibility for us,” Gärtner said. “You can’t be defensive like that.” The planned voluntary service in the Bundeswehr was “expected to fail”.
“Stepping in the right direction”
The head of the German Armed Forces Association, André Wüstner, views the agreement as a step in the right direction. This is “a compromise that at least strengthens the attractiveness of voluntary entry into the Bundeswehr” and “creates transparency with regard to growth,” he told the Welt newspaper.
The Union and the SPD agreed on a new military service structure on Wednesday evening. The coalition continues to rely on voluntary measures and wants to make military service more attractive with a gross salary plan of 2,600 euros. In addition, in the future all 18 year olds will receive a questionnaire asking about their willingness to complete military service. For men, answering the questionnaire was mandatory, as was sampling of all men born after January 1 2008.
