Bundeswehr: Union increases pressure with compulsory military service – majority for this

In view of the growing threat from Russia, the Union increases the pressure on the coalition partner SPD to decide as quickly as possible by returning to compulsory military service. “We don’t have the time to wait until the St. Nimmerlein Day,” said Chancellor Department Thorsten Frei in an interview with the German Press Agency. The black and red coalition must make a clear appointment “when we have to change our strategy so that we can achieve the goal that is recognized for necessary”.

What is meant is to significantly increase the Bundeswehr in view of the threat situation. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius estimates the need at 50,000 to 60,000 additional soldiers – currently there is a little more than 180,000.

Klingbeil ready for preparations for conscription

In order to achieve this increase, SPD boss Lars Klingbeil initially wants to continue to put on voluntariness and incentives such as a free driver’s license. In an interview, however, he was ready to make preparations for a mandatory service. The government has to “create the prerequisites for the fact that mandatory could also be collected,” said the Vice Chancellor of the new Berlin editorial company. The prerequisites include, for example, sufficient sample points, barracks and trainers.

However, Klingbeil emphasized: “There will be no return to the old conscription, in which all young men of one year are collected.” But that was no longer the case before suspension of compulsory military service in 2011. The number of exits had risen drastically in the previous years and even from the men classified as suitable for the Bundeswehr, a large part was no longer collapsed. That is why the question of military justice was discussed at the time.

Pistorius demands up to 240,000 soldiers

The target of the Bundeswehr today is 203,000 soldiers – but even that has not yet been achieved through voluntary recruitment. According to Pistorius’ needs calculation, the troop must now grow to 230,000 to 240,000 soldiers.

It is free to imagine that this can be achieved via a voluntary military service. You have to first communicate until when the new target should be achieved, the Chancellor’s head said. “And then you have to think: How much time can we take ourselves to achieve this goal on a voluntary basis? My personal assessment is that we actually have almost no time for it, because the threat situation is enormous.”

Frei contradicts SPD parliamentary group leader Miersch

In their coalition agreement, the Union and SPD agreed on a military service “which initially is based on voluntariness”. SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch interpreted it in such a way that there would be no reintroduction of the military service before the next federal election.

Frei said the dpa that this contradicts the agreements in the coalition negotiations and also not with the statements by Pistorius ceiling. If the desired way of voluntary nature does not lead to the goal, “then it only corresponds to common sense that you are looking for a different way”.

Survey: 54 percent for return to compulsory military service

The majority of Germans are for reintroduction of military service. In a survey by the opinion research institute YouGov on behalf of the dpa, a total of 54 percent advocate that there should be an obligation to serve the Bundeswehr again. 36 percent support compulsory military service for men and women. 18 percent believe that, as in the past, only men should be obliged. Only 40 percent, on the other hand, believe that military service should remain voluntary. 6 percent did not provide any information.

The return to the mandatory service for men could enforce the black and red coalition on its own. In order to expand conscription to women, however, the Basic Law would have to be changed with a two-thirds majority, for which the black and red coalition would need the consent of the Greens and Left. The left is basically against compulsory military service.

Only the left voters majority against compulsory military service

According to YouGov survey, 69 percent of the left voters are for maintaining the voluntary military service. In contrast, the voters of all other parties represented in the Bundestag is a majority for reintroduction of military service. Among the voters of the CDU and CSU, it is 68 percent, below which the SPD 64 percent. Of the AfD supporters, 55 percent are compulsory conscription and among the Green voters it is 51 percent.

The approval of conscription increases with age. While in the age group between 18 and 29 there is only one in three (35 percent) for this, there are two thirds of the respondents (66 percent) for over 70 year olds.