Boris Pistorius will present a draft law to cabinet that initially targets voluntary recruitment for the Bundeswehr. NATO members committed to upgrading defensive capabilities after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Bundeswehr requires about 80,000 additional professional soldiers and 140,000 reservists to meet NATO plans. The draft law aims to reduce the personnel shortfall by prioritising voluntary enlistment. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said coalition partners share the objective with "no fundamental disagreement." Compulsory military service was suspended in 2011 and can be reintroduced by a simple parliamentary majority if expansion slows.
The government wants to "send a very clear signal (...): We are focusing on voluntary service, we are getting these numbers," Pistorius said on Wednesday on Deutschlandfunk radio, referring to the number of additional troops needed for the armed forces.
The Bundeswehr, the German armed forces, needs around 80,000 additional professional soldiers and 140,000 reservists under NATO plans.
Germany and other NATO member states have committed to upgrading their defensive capabilities in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Germany suspended compulsory military service in 2011 but it and can be reintroduced with a simple majority in parliament, should the expansion plan progress too slowly.
Collection
[
|
...
]