German politician calls for mandatory national service, citing low enlistment rates in the military.
In a debate about the shortage of personnel in the German military, Thomas Röwekamp, the chairman of the Defense Committee in the German Bundestag, has demanded the introduction of a general mandatory service. Röwekamp, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), expressed his concerns in an interview with the Rheinische Post, stating that less than 10 percent of the approximately 700,000 high school graduates in Germany opt for voluntary military service, with only around 10,000 choosing to serve in the Bundeswehr.
According to Röwekamp, those who wish to lead a life of freedom and prosperity cannot solely rely on the engagement of others. He emphasized the need for a sense of shared responsibility, which a mandatory service could foster. Röwekamp proposed that the new obligation not only serve the military, but also be applicable in social or civil society contexts, thereby strengthening not only the country’s defense capabilities, but also social cohesion.
The politician believes that a mandatory year of service would also reflect a new understanding of the state and a commitment to solidarity and engagement. He sees this as an opportunity to instill a sense of civic duty and to promote a culture of shared responsibility among the German population.