Germany has recorded a sharp rise in applications to refuse military service in the first quarter of the year, reflecting growing public concern over security tensions and new defense policies.
According to data cited by the German newspaper Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, 2,656 people filed applications for conscientious objection between January and March. The figures were provided by the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions.
The increase builds on a broader upward trend. Around 2,998 applications were submitted in 2024, rising to 3,867 in 2025. If the current pace continues, 2026 could see the highest number of objections since Germany suspended compulsory military service in 2011.
Experts attribute the rise to heightened security concerns and the introduction of a new military service law that came into force on January 1.
The legislation requires mandatory screening for young men born from 2008 onwards to recruit volunteers to expand the armed forces. If recruitment targets are not met, the German parliament could move to reintroduce compulsory conscription on a conditional basis.
At the same time, some individuals have reversed earlier decisions to refuse service. The report noted 781 such reversals in 2025 and 233 cases recorded during the first quarter of this year.
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