Germany wants to have the strongest army in Europe – a new conscription law brings it closer to the goal

This year, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz committed to building Europe’s strongest army – a tall order for a country whose military has been neglected for years.

The coalition government hopes a new bill, passed last week, will help make that a reality, bolstering German forces in the face of the threat from Russia and a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy.

With the new reforms, Germany will try to increase its troops to 260,000 soldiers, compared to around 180,000 currently, in addition to an additional 200,000 reservists, by 2035.

In a first phase, the initiative will focus on voluntary enlistment, with greater incentives for those who enlist, including a starting monthly salary of €2,600 – an increase of €450 on the current level.

If the new quotas are not met, the Government may opt for mandatory summons, if necessary.

Starting next year, all 18-year-olds will receive a questionnaire about their interest in serving. For men, the answer will be mandatory. From 2027, boys aged 18 will also have to undergo mandatory medical examinations.

The Trump administration warns that Europe must take responsibility for its own security, the Russian war in Ukraine continues to rage and experts in the region suggest that Moscow could invade a NATO state.

Minna Ålander, Europe Program Associate at London-based think tank Chatham House, believes Germany has the potential to play a key role in Europe’s conventional defense, given its central geographic location.

“If the plans to reach the new headcount come to fruition, it will be great for Europe, but that will probably be sometime in the 2030s,” he said.

It remains to be seen whether it will be soon enough.

German defense chief General Carsten Breuer said in a BBC interview in June that NATO should prepare for a possible Russian attack in the next four years – possibly as early as 2029 – calling on member states to be prepared.

Before the presentation of the new bill, the coalition partners – the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the center-left Social Democratic Union (SPD) – discussed for weeks what type of military service should be introduced. One of the ideas was “lottery recruitment”, which would consist of a draw to select young people for a medical examination and then another to call them up for military service.

This proposal was eventually abandoned by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who instead said that enlistment should focus on incentives such as better pay and other financial compensation.

Germany previously had compulsory military service for men aged 18 to 23, but this was suspended in 2011 in favor of an all-volunteer army.

The deal still needs to be approved by the German Parliament, or Bundestag, and lawmakers are expected to vote on it by the end of the year. If that happens, the agreement will come into force on January 1, 2026.

Pistorius, from the SPD, welcomed the measure and sought to reassure those affected. “There is no reason to worry, there is no reason to fear,” he said after the agreement was announced last week.

“Because the lesson is very clear: the greater the deterrence and defense capacity of our armed forces, through armament, training and personnel, the less likely we will be involved in a conflict.”

Pistorius suggested that Berlin’s new military system could serve as an example for other European allies. “Everyone is watching what we are doing,” he said.

“I’m in close contact with (French Prime Minister) Sebastian Lecornu and his successor, and, of course, with the United Kingdom and other countries. And our new recruitment model is quite modern. It’s very modern. And could it be an example for other countries too? I don’t know, but it could be.”

But the changes remain controversial, with many, particularly on the German political left, disagreeing with the reintroduction of compulsory military service. A Forsa poll published by the newspaper Die Welt in October – before the reforms were announced – indicated that 80% of voters from the German left-wing party Die Linke were opposed to the idea.

Ålander believes, however, that reaching the quotas without resorting to mandatory calls is not unrealistic, given the size of the German population.

“If the government and the armed forces can significantly improve the perception of the armed forces and motivate young people to start considering military service as a ‘normal’ choice, the goal could be achieved only with voluntary participation,” he explained to CNN.

But, he added, “my concern is that if mandatory military service is imposed on a skeptical population, it could push more young people to the far right and far left.”

The reluctance of young people in Germany to undergo compulsory military service is clear. Speaking to CNN, a 17-year-old recognized the importance of Germany being able to defend itself, but expressed doubts about wanting to fight.

“Of course it’s important to be able to defend ourselves. But that’s why we’re in the NATO alliance. I love Germany. I wouldn’t say I want to fight for this country now. I have a different life in mind than being at war,” he said.

Leonid Bekjarov, 21, supported increased investment in the German armed forces. “It became very weak and was neglected,” he said.

However, he also questioned the idea of ​​mandatory conscription. “I also think it’s terrible that (Russia) attacked Ukraine. But I’m absolutely against war and a little reinforcement of the armed forces is a good thing – funds have already been allocated for that – but now mandatory military service for everyone and having to go there, I think it’s wrong.”

Others who spoke to CNN expressed concern that their education would be wasted if they were called into military service.

The official figures also give an idea of ​​German public opinion. The number of requests for conscientious objector status has skyrocketed since the start of the war in Ukraine, especially as the idea of ​​resuming compulsory military service intensified. From the beginning of this year until October 25, 3,034 people requested to be recognized as such, according to government records – the highest number since mandatory military service was suspended in 2011.

Decades of neglect

Germany’s armed forces, or Bundeswehr, have been chronically underfunded since the Cold War.

For three decades, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, military expenditure remained below 2% of the country’s GDP – below NATO objectives – due to the absence of threats, the taboo surrounding Germany’s military power and a strongly pacifist national mentality, following the Nazi era.

Then came Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Amid calls in Europe to be “ready for war”, this triggered a significant shift in the country’s outlook. Then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz proclaimed a “Zeitenwende” – or “period of change” – leading to the creation of a special fund of 100 billion euros ($116 billion) to modernize the Bundeswehr.

In June 2024, Germany set aside unease over its military past to mark its first Veterans Day since the Second World War, with new legislation that states that the day must be celebrated “publicly and visibly” every year on June 15.

This change in attitude only deepened after Merz took office earlier this year, with the new chancellor not only promising to transform the German armed forces into “Europe’s strongest conventional army”, but also committing to doubling defense spending to meet NATO’s new objectives.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin only understands the language of power,” declared Merz at the time.