In brief
Germany's Bundestag has voted to bring back voluntary military service, a decision driven by the pressing need to enhance national defense in light of recent geopolitical tensions. Starting January 2026, 18-year-olds will receive questionnaires about serving in the military. Despite governmental efforts to boost troop numbers, many young Germans oppose the move, prompting protests across the nation.
Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, has voted to introduce voluntary military service, in a move aimed at boosting national defenses after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
It marks a significant shift in Germany's approach to its military and follows Chancellor Friedrich Merz's push to create Europe's strongest conventional army.
The change means that all 18-year-olds in Germany will be sent a questionnaire from January 2026 asking if they are interested and willing to join the armed forces. The form will be mandatory for men and voluntary for women.
Students at schools across Germany have said they will join strikes in as many as 90 cities on Friday to protest against the move.
Many young Germans either oppose the new law or are sceptical.
We don't want to spend half a year of our lives locked up in barracks, being trained in drill and obedience and learning to kill, the organizers of the protests wrote in a statement posted on social media.
In Hamburg alone, about 1,500 people were expected to join the protests, and school head teachers warned parents not to take their children out of school for the day.
German MPs voted by 323 votes to 272 to back the change, making their country the latest European nation to launch a form of revised military service. Last month, France announced it would introduce 10 months of voluntary military training for 18- and 19-year-olds.
The government insists military service will be voluntary for as long as possible, but from July 2027, all 18-year-old men will have to take a medical exam to assess their fitness for possible military service.
Current measures aim to boost the German army, the Bundeswehr, which has approximately 182,000 troops. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius plans to increase troop numbers by 20,000 over the next year, aiming for a long-term force of 260,000, complemented by about 200,000 reservists to meet NATO requirements.
While the plan currently focuses on voluntary service, the Bundestag may consider introducing compulsory military service should the security situation deteriorate or if insufficient volunteers arise.
This shift in policy responds to increased military spending pressures on NATO members and reflects the evolving security landscape in Europe.
