The German cabinet on Wednesday approved legislation introducing a new form of military service, according to government sources.
The legislation, presented by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, restores a military register that young men must join when they turn 18, stating whether they are willing and able to perform military service.
“The New Military Service Law allows us to reinstall military registration, which no longer exists since compulsory basic military service was abolished in 2011. If a state of defense were to emerge tomorrow, we would not know who we could recruit because there is no complete database,” Pistorius told dpa ahead of the decision.
Russia’s war against Ukraine has prompted Germany to reconsider its defense position, which had increasingly suffered from a lack of investment since the end of the Cold War, as immediate threats appeared to recede.
Compulsory military service was abolished in Germany in 2011 after 55 years, leading to the dismantling of all related processes, including a register.
However, the law continued to allow military conscription to be reintroduced if parliament declared a state of defense.
The German army, the Bundeswehr, is dogged by personnel problems. In June it had fewer than 180,000 troops on its staff, with another 60,000 permanently integrated reservists.
Pistorius said Germany needs about 460,000 soldiers to meet NATO targets and that “a large part of these, around 260,000, should be able to be drawn from reserves.”
According to the Bundeswehr, there are currently approximately 15,000 training places for volunteer military service providers, of which 5,000 are regularly vacant.
The Bundeswehr also plans to create 3,000 additional training places annually.
Military planners believe that the mandatory registry and voluntary enlistments will be sufficient to recruit enough applicants.
The German Constitution only provides for mandatory military service for men. That is why the register is optional for women.
Basic training for the new military service will last six months, with the option to extend it to up to 23 months if people choose to specialize in a particular area.
Pistorius said a salary of at least €1,800 ($1,900) is being considered for recruits, and possibly up to €200 more depending on circumstances.
The legislation must now go through the two German parliament buildings. It could come into effect in May next year.
