The German federal government has approved a new national service law, following a cabinet decision on Wednesday regarding the draft legislation proposed by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.
The law envisions a minimum six-month period of national service initially based on voluntary participation. From 2026, a questionnaire will be used to collect data on all men aged 18 and over, with the stated aim of assessing the health and fitness levels of potential recruits. Participation in this data collection will be voluntary for women. Mandatory conscription assessments are then slated to begin for men on July 1st, 2027.
Individuals who volunteer for military service will be designated as professional soldiers from the outset and will be offered increased opportunities. Incentives such as financial support for obtaining private driver’s licenses, vocational training and language courses are also planned to attract young people.
The overarching goal of the legislation is to increase the personnel capacity of the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) by 80,000 soldiers. Preliminary estimates suggest a total of approximately 460,000 soldiers will be needed for both active duty and reserve roles. The law also outlines the possibility of reinstating mandatory conscription if recruitment targets are not met or if the security situation deteriorates, though this is not automatic.
The draft legislation has drawn criticism, particularly from the opposition CDU/CSU bloc. Norbert Röttgen, deputy leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, has stated the draft is insufficient, arguing it will not achieve the necessary level of national defence. He criticised the lack of specific figures and timelines, claiming it deviates from the Swedish model referenced in the governing coalition agreement. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul initially raised concerns, placing a procedural hold on the draft, but later withdrew it following discussions.