Germany Reaches Agreement on Non-Mandatory Military Service to Boost Armed Forces

Germany’s governing coalition announced on Thursday that it has reached an agreement on a new model of military service aimed at strengthening the country’s armed forces, which have struggled with recruitment shortages for years. 

The deal comes after months of political negotiations and debate over whether to reintroduce some form of compulsory conscription.

During the lengthy talks, conservative and Social Democratic lawmakers at one point floated the idea of a lottery-based conscription system for men. However, the coalition ultimately converged overnight on a non-mandatory framework.

Under the draft legislation, which must still be submitted to parliament, all 18-year-old men would be required to undergo a medical examination and complete a questionnaire assessing their availability and willingness to serve in the military, according to Agence France-Presse.

The move is intended to significantly expand the pool of volunteers at a time when Chancellor Friedrich Merz aims to rebuild Germany’s armed forces into Europe’s strongest conventional military, as the country confronts the intensifying security threat posed by Russia and adjusts to reduced U.S. commitments to European defense.

The bill, introduced by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius of the Social Democratic Party, explicitly rules out using a lottery system to draft citizens should volunteer numbers fall short.

Still, conservatives have left the door open for future debate. Jens Spahn, head of the Christian Democratic and Christian Social parliamentary group, said the idea of compulsory service could be revived: “If voluntary service is ultimately insufficient, then compulsory service will also be necessary.”

Matthias Miersch, the Social Democrats’ parliamentary leader, expressed confidence that the Bundeswehr would attract enough volunteers, while Minister Pistorius reiterated that mandatory service would remain a “last resort.”

Chancellor Merz has made military reinforcement a national priority. The German armed forces have long suffered from equipment shortages and understaffing, despite a substantial increase in military spending and expanded aid to Ukraine.

German intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned of the risk of a direct military confrontation between Russia and NATO before 2029.

During a visit to NATO’s base in Geilenkirchen, Western Germany, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte welcomed the breakthrough in Berlin:

“I am very pleased to hear that the coalition here in Germany has agreed on the way forward.”

NATO aims for Germany to expand its military personnel to 460,000 troops — including 260,000 active-duty soldiers and 200,000 reservists. The Bundeswehr remains well below these targets, currently fielding 182,000 active troops and 49,000 reservists.

The new service proposal is seen as a crucial step toward closing this gap and restoring Germany’s military readiness amid a rapidly shifting European security landscape.