Bundeswehr
The most important questions about the Pistorius plan on compulsory military service
The possibility of reintroducing military service is part of the plan of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. When could she come? The star Answer the most important questions.
The debate about the reintroduction of conscription is reminiscent of the frog in the saucepan. If you throw it in hot water, he will try to escape. On the other hand, if you only put it in the pot and then slowly increase the temperature, it will remain seated.
Even if the frog myth cannot be scientifically proven, its message is still obvious. Transferred to compulsory military service, it is: Germany has too few soldiers to be prepared for an emergency. The previous attempts to fill the personnel through voluntariness were of manageable success. Therefore, the reactivation of the compulsory military service exposed in 2011 is in the room. However, because the immediate reinstatement would probably encounter considerable resistance among the population (and in the SPD), a new military service law should solve the dilemma on detours.
But what is in the new law? And what is still open? Here are the most important answers:
What is in the new law?
That is not yet clear down to the last detail. The draft only goes into the departmental vote this week.
In a more than 50-page design from the Ministry of Defense, about which the “Spiegel” reported first, it is said that the new military service should be based on voluntariness. It is said to contain a “declaration of standby and the reintroduction of the pattern that is mandatory for men from the outset. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) is essentially based on the Swedish model.
In addition, there should be the possibility of using the compulsory military service through a simple cabinet decision “with the consent of the Bundestag” if the “defense policy situation” requires it and it was not possible to fill the personnel. That could then be implemented within a few days.
When should the new law come?
It is currently planned that the cabinet will deal with the draft on August 27, the Bundestag must (with a simple majority). The new law could then come into force on January 1, 2026.
Then does the compulsory commitment come?
No. The structures are currently missing, for example accommodations and equipment. From January 1, it would only be mandatory that all men who are 18 years old fill out a sample sheet that they will be sent by post. This should be gradually extended to men up to 25 years. Women from the age of 18 also get the sheet, but are not obliged to fill out.
From 2027 there should be the possibility to make mandatory. However, this would not affect an entire year as before, but only part of it.
Young men who do not fill out the questionnaire are threatened with sanctions. The aim is to gain an overview of who could be recruited in an emergency and at the same time increase attention for the Bundeswehr in the potential target group.
At the same time, Pistorius wants to increase the attractiveness of a voluntary service. A higher payment for military service providers (more than 2000 euros net) and other services such as support in accommodation, possibly also the financing of the driver’s license in the course of the military service are planned.
What will become of community service?
A revival is also in the house. At the latest, if the military service provider was re -introduced in the event of sufficient voluntary service providers, the right would be to bear the right to refuse to serve the weapon. After all, the Basic Law says “Nobody may be forced to do his conscience to work with the weapon.” And says: “Anyone who refuses military service with the weapon for reasons of conscience can be committed to a replacement service.” Everything continues to apply.
In other words: If the new military service law comes on January 1, 2026, preparations for the reintroduction of the community service would also have to begin. For all cases. However, the Ministry of Defense would not be responsible for this, but the Ministry of Family.
What does the SPD want?
At the SPD party conference, Boris Pistorius had struggled for hours, in particular the Jusos had resigned against the reintroduction of compulsory military service. No wonder: you represent the generation concerned. The compromise is a rather stretchy wording – each side can indicate what it wants.
One does not want to “do not want to activate the legal option to use conscripts”, says the party convention decision, “before not all measures to increase voluntary increase are exhausted.” So everything can, nothing has to be? Some say the others like that – and that is the problem. Because the core conflict does not seem to be cleared. So what happens if at some point “all measures for voluntary increase” should be exhausted? What measures? And who defines that? In other words: Sooner or later, the fundamental conflict should break up again.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
