Return to compulsory conscription? Spahn and Pistorius demand reforms!

Return to compulsory conscription? Spahn and Pistorius demand reforms!

Prenzlau, Deutschland - In the past few weeks, the discussion about a possible return to military service in Germany has taken on. Jens Spahn, the Union faction leader, sees the resumption of an essential measure to increase the defense capacity of the Federal Republic. "We have to prepare for the possibility of returning to compulsory military service," emphasizes Spahn. This requires a comprehensive structure in the Bundeswehr in order to be able to react quickly. Up to 60,000 additional soldiers are planned to achieve the NATO defense goals. He receives support from Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD), who also underlines the importance of this number of recruits, as [Zeit.de] (https://www.zeitung.de/politik/2025-06/bundeswehr-wehr--gewiegel-jens-spahn-wehr representative) reports.

The security policy situation in Europe has changed dramatically. Federal Intelligence Service and Bundeswehr warn of the constant danger of a Russian attack, and current situation reviews show that Russia could possibly create the prerequisites for a large -scale war by the end of the decade. Against this background, the topic of conscription has again moved onto the agenda. The military officer Henning Otte recently demands an obligation to take on if the number of volunteers is not sufficient. Otte emphasizes that the Federal Government should develop a legally sustainable law for mandatory elements, which is a further indication of the need for a reform, as wdr explains.

Details on compulsory military service

A central topic in the discussion about returning to military service is the question of whether this should also apply to women. Spahn has made it clear that compulsory military service would only be intended for men, based on the existing Basic Law. However, a change in this Basic Law would require a two -thirds majority in the Bundestag and the Federal Council. The compulsory military service was exposed to Guttenberg (CSU) under Karl-Theodor in 2011 after it had existed for 55 years. In the coalition agreement between the Union and the SPD, conscription is not mentioned directly, but a new, attractive military service is sought for voluntariness. Here a rethinking could take place, as n-tv reports.

The majority in the SPD continues to focus on voluntariness, but Pistorius emphasizes that this is only valid if the need for soldiers can be covered. Julia Klöckner (CDU) refers to the word "initially" in the coalition agreement and leaves openly that a reintroduction of conscription is not excluded. It also supports a general duty of service that could also include social areas beyond the military service.

Current challenges of the Bundeswehr

The challenges are enormous. According to Defense Minister Pistorius, it is essential that the Bundeswehr becomes warming. However, it is pointed out that the Bundeswehr is currently not sufficient for the implementation of conscription. Numerous barracks and properties were sold, while the number of instructors and available barracks has shrunk considerably. This could hinder the current implementation of a military service, warns the new military commissioner Otte. Therefore, a mandatory military system according to Swedish model would be proposed, which could include a mandatory pattern to expand the troop strength.

The discussion is heated up by the increasing international tensions and attacks in the Mediterranean and at the outskirts of NATO. This security policy exploses not only Germany, but all of Europe with new challenges.