Military
Sweden, Israel, North Korea: This is how military service looks in other countries
Politics in Germany are calling for a reform of military service, some even a return to compulsory military service. This overview shows what it looks like in other countries.
Is military service in Germany reformed? Does the compulsory military service even come back? When it comes to several politicians from the Union and SPD, the answer is: yes.
The military officer of the Bundestag, Eva Högl (SPD), supports the military service model proposed by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD). In her annual report in 2024, this calls her a “good and correct proposal”. On the basis of a questionnaire that is mandatory and voluntarily filled by women, the pattern and selection of the most suitable and motivated applicants could then be made, Högl continues.
Pistorius’ plans primarily provide to write to all young men and women in order to ask them about their willingness and ability to serve the Bundeswehr. The main goal is to recruit more staff. For the time being, Pistorius rejects a duty obligation.
“Suspension of conscription no longer fits the current risk situation”
Shortly before its break last November, the traffic light government had plans from Pistorius for a new military service by cabinet decision. However, there was no longer an affair in the Bundestag due to the traffic light break.
The SPD defense expert Johannes Arlt said that he considered the introduction of a military service in Germany to be realistic from 2026. However, a lot has to be done politically and organization this year “in order to be able to accept a larger number of conscripts or military service providers from next year and to be able to start the training capacities,” said Arlt on RBB radio. “We need beds, we need trainers,” he emphasized.
The CSU politician Florian Hahn even calls for the reintroduction of conscription this year due to the changed threat situation. “The suspension of conscription no longer fits the current hazard situation. In 2025, the first conscripts have to walk through the barrack goals,” said the defense policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group of the “Bild” newspaper.
Duty to compulsory consumption in Germany 2011
The compulsory military service in Germany under Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU) was suspended after 55 years. This was equivalent to abolition of military and community service, because at the same time practically all structures were dissolved for conscription.
The chairman of the Bundeswehr Association, André Wüstner, called for the start of a compulsory conscription based on Swedish model with mandatory recording this year. “Without a kind of new conscription, we will not create the acquisition and commitment of the staff we need,” he said in the broadcaster World TV.
The number of soldiers has decreased in recent years. Nevertheless, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in May 2024 named the Bundeswehr’s lack of staff a “manageable” task.
The new federal government now has a new conscription in peace. For conflict times, the military service law stipulates that conscription for men revives if the Bundestag determines the event of tension and defense.
Our photo gallery shows you what the compulsory conscription and military service look like in other countries.
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Sources: the CIA, news agencies and ,,,,,, The new Kosmos Weltalmanach & Atlas 2024/2025 ,,
MT material of the AFP and dpa agencies
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.
