German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) has called for the immediate reintroduction of compulsory military service in Germany. “I am for the immediate reintroduction of conscription,” Wadephul told the newspapers of the Funke media group (Wednesday editions). “But that is something we have to discuss within the coalition.”
According to the report, the Bundestag will next week hold its first debate on the government’s draft legislation, which initially provides for a new system of voluntary military service. Should this not meet the Bundeswehr’s personnel requirements, and if the security situation makes it necessary, the draft foresees that the federal government and Bundestag would decide at a later stage on the introduction of compulsory service.
Wadephul stressed that he had already advocated several times for the immediate return of conscription and continues to hold this position. He hinted that the draft law could be tightened further in this regard, as demanded by defense policy experts within the Union parliamentary group. “The government has made proposals, now the parliamentary groups are to negotiate and decide what the law will look like,” said the CDU politician.
With regard to the current security environment, Wadephul added that in the deliberations, “of course the overall circumstances must be taken into account.” Conscription in Germany was suspended in 2011, effectively abolishing both compulsory military and civilian service. It was replaced by the Federal Volunteer Service.
In August, the federal cabinet adopted the new voluntary service model put forward by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD). This model is initially based on voluntarism. The reintroduction of conscription is not currently envisaged. According to Pistorius, this would only become necessary if the planned increase in Bundeswehr personnel cannot be achieved, in that case, compulsory recruitment would again be required.
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