Germany Considers Conscription

Germany is considering bringing back conscription in its military as it struggles to find enough soldiers, Deutsche Welle reported on December 29.

The Bundeswehr had 181,383 soldiers in October, considerably short of its goal of 203,000. This has raised concerns as Russia’s war against Ukraine has proved how quickly conflict can emerge in Europe.

Since early 2023, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has contemplated ways to field more soldiers, including conscription, which Germany suspended in 2011. “There were reasons at the time to suspend compulsory military service. In retrospect, however, it was a mistake,” Pistorius said.

He is considering the case of Sweden, where compulsory military service was suspended and then reintroduced.

I’m looking at models, such as the Swedish model, where all young men and women are conscripted and only a select few end up doing their basic military service. Whether something like this would also be conceivable here is part of these considerations.
—Boris Pistorius

Criticism from the left: When Pistorius shared his ideas about conscription, he faced strong criticism, including from his own center-left Social Democratic Party.

• Party cochair Saskia Esken said it would be impossible to implement because of the lack of training units.
• The neoliberal Free Democrats said it would be a “serious encroachment on the freedom of young people.”

Support from the right: Parties in the conservative opposition such as the Christian Democratic Union (cdu) and the Christian Social Union support the reintroduction of conscription.

[W]e are in favor of general compulsory service, i.e. service in the Bundeswehr, but also in other emergency services. … Now is the time for young people to be asked what they can do for our country and for our society.
—Johann Wadephul, cdu deputy leader

German militarism: The Trumpet has warned for decades that Germany will strengthen and expand its military. Russia’s war on Ukraine is accelerating this trend. Bible prophecy shows that Germany will soon lead a unified, militaristic Europe that will play a major role in world events.

Learn more: Read our Trends article “Why the Trumpet Watches Europe’s Push Toward a Unified Military.”