The number of applications for conscientious objection is on the rise. According to data cited by the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” from the Federal Office for Family and Civil Society (BAFzA), 2,656 individuals filed such applications in the first quarter of this year alone. This figure surpasses the total number of applications registered for the entire year of 2024 (2,249).
If this upward trend continues, the number of applicants is projected to reach its highest level since the conscription was suspended in 2011. For context, there were 3,879 total applications in 2025, while only 1,079 individuals definitively refused military service in 2023. This growing trend is attributed primarily to the tense security climate and the ongoing national debate regarding the possible reintroduction of mandatory national service.
Alongside the increase in new refusals, there is also a noticeable rise in the number of people withdrawing their previous applications. In the last year, this reversal occurred 781 times; in the first quarter of this year, the figure already reached 233 withdrawals. This represents a significant increase compared to previous years, when the number of withdrawals ranged from 304 in 2021 to a lower figure in 2024.
It is important to note that conscription has been suspended since 2011 and currently only applies in the event of defensive mobilization. Nevertheless, the right to refuse military service based on conscience remains fully intact, supported by Article 4, Paragraph 3 of the Basic Law. The process for submitting such requests is handled by the German Armed Forces Career Centers, which then forward the applications to the BAFzA.