Germany Considers Return to Compulsory Military Service Amid Recruitment Challenges

Germany may soon face a significant shift in its military policy, as the nation ponders the reinstatement of compulsory military service. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that if the revamped volunteer recruitment system fails, conscription could be the next step.

In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Pistorius laid out a clear timeline for realizing Germany's new military service model. This model seeks to increase the understrength army's numbers through voluntary enlistment initially, though Pistorius cautioned that this might not suffice.

The initiative is propelled by rising concerns over national defense readiness, exacerbated by evolving security threats in Europe since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The proposal also includes reactivating more reservists to strengthen military numbers.

(With inputs from agencies.)