German Defense Committee Chairman Thomas Röwekamp Criticizes SPD’s Decision on Military Service
The chairman of the German Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Thomas Röwekamp of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has criticized the decision made by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) at their party convention, calling for the introduction of a general military service.
Röwekamp told the Rheinische Post in an interview that the decision ignores the current defense policy challenges and only reflects the SPD’s position. For the CDU/CSU, it is crucial to clarify under what conditions further compulsory stages can be activated to achieve the necessary number of military service personnel.
A personnel increase is absolutely necessary to reliably fulfill our obligations in land and alliance defense, the CDU politician emphasized. The SPD’s decision does not do justice to this requirement, he criticized. Röwekamp expressed confidence that, in cooperation with Defense Minister Pistorius, a sustainable agreement can be reached on the essential growth of the German Bundeswehr, including a clear regulation for the step-by-step reactivation of military service.
“This decision can no longer be delayed” Röwekamp warned.