German Government Approves Draft Law to Increase Military Strength
The German government approved a draft law on Wednesday that would permit the army to determine the readiness of 18-year-olds to serve in its ranks. This move is part of Berlin’s strategy to boost its military strength to fulfil NATO obligations without resorting to conscription, as reported by dpa and Reuters, and picked up by Agerpres.
Currently, the German army has 180,000 soldiers and aims to increase this number to 203,000 by 2031, along with 60,000 reservists. Germany’s ultimate goal is to have an additional 200,000 reservists, enabling a swift increase in troops to approximately 460,000 in the event of war.
New Military Service Law
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who initiated the bill, stated that the new military service law would reinstate the military register that ceased to exist following the abolition of compulsory military service in 2011. He expressed concerns about the absence of a comprehensive database that could be used to mobilize individuals in case of a defense situation.
The new law aims to offer updated figures, proposing that all men turning 18 – estimated to be about 300,000 next year – will be obliged to fill out a digital questionnaire about their interest in joining the military. The questionnaire will also be distributed to young women, though they are not required to respond.
