A significant majority of German adults are in favor of reinstating mandatory military service, according to a survey conducted by the Infratest research institute for the ARD’s “Deutschlandtrend”. The survey of 1,312 eligible voters, spanning from Monday to Wednesday of this week, revealed that 55 percent support a renewed conscription system encompassing both military and civil service for both men and women – a 10-point increase since April.
An additional 18 percent of respondents advocate for the return of mandatory military service exclusively for men, while nearly a quarter (23 percent) believe the current suspension of the service, in place since 2011, should continue.
Support for some form of renewed service is broadly distributed across the political spectrum, with nearly 83 percent of SPD voters and 87 percent of CDU/CSU voters expressing approval. Significant support also exists among Green party supporters (72 percent) and AfD voters (71 percent). Notably, the Left party’s constituents are the only group among Bundestag represented factions who predominantly favor maintaining the suspension of conscription, with 58 percent holding this view.
The survey data also highlights generational differences. While 51 percent of 18 to 34-year-olds support the reintroduction of conscription, a higher proportion (45 percent) oppose it. Conversely, support for a return to mandatory service is notably stronger among older demographics, with 72 percent of those aged 35 to 49, 85 percent of those aged 50 to 64 and 78 percent of those over 65 expressing agreement.
Three out of four Germans (73 percent) believe Germany urgently requires more soldiers for national defense in the event of a crisis, while 22 percent hold a different view. Furthermore, 62 percent of those surveyed believe Germany needs to be more capable militarily to safeguard peace in Europe, with 31 percent disagreeing. However, a majority (57 percent) expressed apprehension regarding the increasingly open discussion surrounding military readiness in Germany.
In terms of perceived peace-oriented parties, the CDU/CSU were identified as the most likely to uphold peace in Europe, with 31 percent of respondents placing their trust in the Union – a 4-point increase since June 2024. The AfD received 14 percent, the SPD 11 percent, the Greens 5 percent, the Left party 5 percent and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance 3 percent.