In early March, Florian Hahn, who speaks on defense policies for Germany’s CDU and CSU parties, advocated for the reinstatement of mandatory military duty before the conclusion of the year.

He told the German tabloid Bild, ‘We cannot simply remain passive as insecurity grows around us.’

With the German parliament endorsing a historical

debt-financed bill

For defense and infrastructure, the focus is shifting towards conscription. However, what might bringing it back entail—and would it truly address Germany’s defense issues?

What were the reasons for suspending mandatory military duty in Germany?

Conscription was implemented in 1956 and continues to be embedded in Article 12a of Germany’s Basic Law.

Despite the end of the Cold War and national reunification, conscription has persisted. Nonetheless, from the beginning, people have had the option to opt out of military duty due to their conscientious beliefs.

Candidates needed to obtain permission for their conscientious objection in these instances and were subsequently able to undertake alternative service for the public benefit, referred to as civilian service.

Until 2011, all males at least 18 years old had to serve in the Bundeswehr. That year, the then Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg halted compulsory service.

Mandatory military duty was halted with the aim of downsizing the Bundeswehr from approximately 255,000 troops to 185,000. At that juncture, the rationale cited the considerably altered international security environment, which was deemed low-risk.

Based on recent Bundeswehr figures from May 2024, the overall strength totals slightly less than 261,000 individuals. This comprises 180,215 service members and 80,761 civilians working for the organization.

The objective, however, is to boost the number of troops to approximately 203,000 soldiers by 2031. This proposed expansion is motivated by Russia’s comprehensive assault on Ukraine and the subsequent transformation in Europe’s security environment, as stated in a draft legislation released towards the end of last year.

To reach this objective, the reinstatement of mandatory military duty is under discussion. However, despite appearing as an easy fix, it’s more complex than it seems.

“Theoretical and practical answers both exist,” clarified Dr Frank Sauer, a political scientist from the Bundeswehr University in Munich.

Theoretically speaking, the answer is yes; legally, we could reintroduce mandatory military service. Practically though, this wouldn’t make much of a difference since there aren’t any mechanisms currently set up for drafting individuals.

This primarily relates to logistics, which are now defunct and thus unavailable for enlistment purposes. Should mandatory military duty be reinstated, the Bundeswehr would face shortages not just in personnel needed to train newcomers but also in accommodations like barracks and regional defense headquarters.

Sauer highlighted that the complete infrastructure required for this no longer exists.

Sauer does not see conscription as an easy fix and warns against employing it to tackle the Bundeswehr’s staffing shortages or to achieve the goal of having 203,000 soldiers by 2030.

Sauer posed the query: Why should we reinstate mandatory service when it merely equips us with skills such as using weapons or serving as a paramedic for the Red Cross? What is the objective behind this? Furthermore, do we genuinely possess the resources or capabilities to accomplish our intended goals based on the current proposals?

The ‘means-to-an-end discussion’

According to Sauer, before reinstating mandatory military duty, there needs to be a dialogue about how to accomplish the desired outcome.

At present, there is neither consensus nor a clear debate on the purpose of conscription in Germany. Even potential coalition partners for the next government remain divided on how, or even if, conscription should be implemented.

Reports from Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland reveal that the CDU and CSU political parties support reinstating compulsory military service to establish a “credible deterrent.”

On the contrary, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) still supports voluntary service but suggests establishing a system for mandatory military registration and tracking.

Nevertheless, apart from political considerations, there needs to be a wider societal agreement on the function of mandatory military service. As Sauer points out, some argue that this could expand the size of the Bundeswehr.

Some view it as a means to instill discipline among youth once more. Others argue it will boost civil defense and supply additional staff to emergency services. Nevertheless, some perceive it as an avenue to strengthen community unity.

Compulsory military service cannot be introduced with a “one size fits all” approach and must therefore be tailored differently.

Whether there would be a parliamentary majority for potential changes to conscription remains uncertain. “What we could implement now would be the same compulsory military service as before,” the political scientist told Euronews.

Currently, conscription affects only males. Thus, an updated version of conscription should contemplate incorporating females into the system too.

In an interview with ZDF, Bavaria’s Minister President Markus Söder emphasized that the primary objective is not to concentrate on enhancing a gender-equitable Bundeswehr, but instead to build a stronger and more efficient military force. Additionally, he stressed the significance of the deterrence capability that the Bundeswehr needs to maintain.

“We aim for a Bundeswehr that is so robust it wouldn’t be worthwhile attacking us,” stated Söder. Nonetheless, even with the reinstatement of mandatory military duty, the strength of the Bundeswehr won’t improve immediately.

Sauer thinks there is minimal enthusiasm within the Bundeswehr for bringing back conscription. He elaborates, stating, “The armed forces are already grappling with a significant staffing shortfall, particularly concerning trainers.”

“If they were also required to train conscripts, the professional forces would be even more stretched. In nearly every conversation I’ve had, no one has said, ‘That’s a great idea, let’s bring back military service.’”

Defending one’s country?

Politicians such as Söder and Hahn have stated that the main objective of mandatory military service was to bolster the Bundeswehr. Nevertheless, a recent Forsa poll conducted for RTL and ntv revealed that merely 17% of Germans expressed readiness to bear arms in defense of their nation should it face a military assault.

On the contrary, research conducted by the French Ministry of Defence indicated that 51% of individuals aged between 18 and 25 would consider fighting in Ukraine should it become essential for defending France. Moreover, approximately 62% of people in France favour reinstating mandatory military service, a practice discontinued back in 1997.

According to a YouGov survey, 58% of Germans support the return of compulsory military service. Nonetheless, as reported by Die Welt, a majority of young people aged between 18 and 29 years (61%) are against bringing back conscription.

It is still uncertain whether and in what format the mandatory military service outlined in the Basic Law will be reinstated. So far, everyone agrees that this change won’t occur suddenly.