Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) insists on comprehensive mustering of young people based on suitability and motivation. He rejects a lottery system proposed by Union politicians to forcibly conscript men. Instead, entire year groups should be mustered starting in 2027 to bolster the Bundeswehr.
The debate over military service in Germany is intensifying: Union and SPD politicians had developed a plan to select men by lottery for mustering and potentially forcibly conscript them into the Bundeswehr if needed. The proposal failed, however, when the SPD withdrew before its presentation.
Ahead of new Bundestag negotiations, Pistorius emphasized that he favors comprehensive mustering based on qualifications and motivation. "A lottery decision could be perceived as arbitrariness if some men are forced into service and others are not," he said. It is crucial, starting mid-2027, to muster entire year groups to quickly know in a defense scenario who is deployable as a home protector.
A Forsa poll supports this view: Three-quarters of respondents consider a lottery system unfair. The draft law provides that all 18-year-olds—women and men—will be contacted about volunteering for at least six months of service. Men must complete a questionnaire that is part of the mustering; women may do so. If there are insufficient applicants, men can be conscripted, provided there is approval from the government and Bundestag.
New negotiations begin next week, with experts to be heard from November 10. Pistorius is optimistic: SPD and Union are aware of the seriousness of the situation. The goal: The Bundeswehr should grow from 182,000 active soldiers and 100,000 reservists to 460,000 soldiers by 2035 to meet NATO targets—a 60 percent increase.