Germany may consider reinstating compulsory military service as early as next year if it fails to attract enough volunteers for its armed forces, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, BTA reported.
As part of NATO, Germany is seeking to boost its military power after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but it appears unlikely to be able to attract enough recruits, Reuters notes. According to the German armed forces, 100,000 more soldiers will be needed in the coming years to meet the country's NATO commitments.
The German conservatives, who lead a coalition in which Pistorius's Social Democrats are partners, have increased military spending and signaled that they are open to the idea of compulsory military service in the armed forces, which was abandoned in 2011.
"Our model is initially based on voluntary participation," Pistorius said in an interview for the Sunday edition of the newspaper. "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung", which is on sale today.
"If the time comes when we have more available capacity than voluntary registrations, then we can decide to make it mandatory," he added.
A new bill in this direction could come into force as early as January 1, 2026, Pistorius added.