Germany Considers Compulsory Military Service Amid Recruitment Crisis

Germany is currently struggling to recruit new soldiers into its army. The country must decide by July 2027 whether to reintroduce compulsory military service. According to the AFP news agency, Thomas Rovekamp, chairman of the German parliament's defence committee and a conservative lawmaker, Berlin wants to rejuvenate its military Bundeswehr in the face of the growing threat from Russia and the uncertain stance of the US. Germany has set an ambitious target of increasing its troop numbers from the current 1.85 million to at least 2.6 million by 2035. The German government introduced a new voluntary military service model in November last year, making it compulsory for men aged 18 to register. However, the plan has so far proved ineffective. Nearly 300,000 young people were contacted under the plan, but Thomas Rovekamp, chairman of the defence committee, warned only between 5 and 30 May that Germany would be able to join the new army if Rovekamp's targets were made clear.