Amidst ongoing discussions surrounding personnel augmentation for the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces), a senior lawmaker is emphasizing the need for rapid readiness regarding potential reinstatement of compulsory military service. Thomas Röwekamp, Chairman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag (German Parliament), stated that the recently unveiled proposals from Defense Minister Boris Pistorius provide a valuable foundation for future deliberations.
Röwekamp, speaking to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, expressed skepticism about whether the recruitment targets can be achieved solely through voluntary service. He suggested that a review should be undertaken within a year to assess the effectiveness of the current strategy, reserving the option to activate compulsory service should it prove necessary.
The Bundeswehr aims to maintain a force comprising 260,000 active soldiers and 200,000 reservists to fulfill commitments to NATO. Röwekamp underscored the significance of this goal as non-negotiable.
Furthermore, he highlighted the ongoing need for a broader reform of the compulsory military service system. The present legal framework currently restricts service obligations to male citizens only, a situation Röwekamp deemed neither equitable nor demonstrating sufficient solidarity within the population. Further policy discussions are expected to address this critical aspect of potential reforms.