Berlin, Germany – The German government is facing a pressing issue of military personnel shortages, with a recent decline in the number of active soldiers to around 181,000, despite efforts to increase recruitment. In response, Vice-Chancellor and SPD leader Lars Klingbeil has reiterated his stance against reinstating the old conscription system, where all young men of a certain age group would be drafted into the military.
Instead, Klingbeil advocates for making the German military a more attractive option for young people, suggesting the integration of a free driver’s license program, for instance. The SPD leader believes that the Bundeswehr should be “deutlich attraktiver für junge Menschen” to encourage more to join voluntarily.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is, however, planning to present a new proposal for a revised military service, aimed at reaching more young people. Klingbeil has expressed his support for the initiative, stating that it should lay the groundwork for compulsory service in the event that not enough volunteers come forward.
As the NATO summit approaches, Klingbeil has warned against narrowing the debate to defense spending percentages, calling it an unproductive approach. He emphasized the need for the country to be protected from modern threats, such as cyberattacks, infrastructure attacks and drone threats and for the military to be able to respond quickly and effectively.
The upcoming NATO summit, which will take place in The Hague on Tuesday and Wednesday, may also address the issue of defense spending, with a possible decision that member states should increase their military expenditures to 3.5 percent of their GDP and other defense-related expenses to 1.5 percent of their GDP by 2032, a move that may be influenced by US President Donald Trump’s demands.