Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) is maintaining its position that the planned new national service within the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) should initially be implemented as a voluntary service, with any consideration of conscription addressed at a later stage should the need arise.
Speaking to the Funke Media Group publications, Siemtje Möller, Deputy Parliamentary Group Leader of the SPD, stated, “We clearly agreed in the coalition agreement: the new national service will start on a voluntary basis – and that remains the case.
Currently, the Bundeswehr lacks sufficient instructors and accommodation facilities to train tens of thousands of national service participants annually. “Therefore, we are beginning with a manageable number of volunteers for the troops and simultaneously expanding training and accommodation capacities” Möller explained, adding that participant numbers could be increased incrementally.
The SPD politician, responsible for foreign and defense policy within her parliamentary group, clarified that discussions regarding mandatory elements would only occur if it became apparent that voluntary participation was insufficient to meet the Bundeswehr’s needs. The determining factor, she emphasized, would be the actual requirements of the armed forces and its capacity for implementation.
Möller stated that a primary objective of the new national service is the creation of a sustainable reserve force. The draft legislation proposed by the Defense Minister will be carefully reviewed in the coming weeks and decided upon within the parliamentary process “along the guidelines agreed in the coalition agreement.
The draft legislation concerning the new national service is scheduled to be approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday. Prior to the decision, the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) have intensified their criticism and are calling for revisions. The opposition’s aim is to incorporate binding targets for troop growth into the law on an annual basis, with a provision for automatic implementation of conscription should those targets not be met.