(de-news.net) – Debates are underway about different models to increase troop strength of the Bundeswehr. Inspector General Carsten Breuer has expressed the necessity of enhancing the military’s capacity to sustain operations with at least 460,000 soldiers. He emphasized that achieving this goal would require a scalable reserve force, supported by a new model of military service. Breuer stated that the Bundeswehr must expand its training capacities by the end of the decade. He acknowledged that the 100-billion-euro special fund partially mitigated the deficits caused by years of underfunding in the armed forces. However, he noted that recent evaluations of NATO defense plans and shifts in the security landscape have led to additional demands. Breuer highlighted that the proposed constitutional amendment would establish financial provisions to meet the requisite procurement needs.
Meanwhile, Hans-Peter Bartels, former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces and SPD Bundestag member, urged the SPD and CDU/CSU to include the reinstatement of conscription in their coalition agreement. He argued that the Bundeswehr’s current size of 180,000 soldiers is insufficient, advocating for an initial increase to 250,000 during the current legislative period. Bartels emphasized that conscription, embedded in the German Constitution, should be reactivated this year without legal complications. He opposed linking conscription to equality or social service debates. Bartels also highlighted the necessity of this expansion to fulfill NATO commitments with credible military strength.
The head of the German Armed Forces Association, André Wüstner, advocated for the introduction of conscription based on the Swedish model within the year, warning of a potential personnel crisis otherwise. He emphasized the urgent need to address the Bundeswehr’s annual turnover need of approximately 27,000 personnel, which cannot be managed without a new conscription system. Wüstner noted that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius had already initiated steps in this direction, exploring the Swedish model of selective conscription to strengthen reserves. He acknowledged that implementation would be gradual, contingent on infrastructure and training capacities. However, he cautioned that conscription alone would not resolve personnel shortages, highlighting the necessity of improved working conditions and remuneration to retain specialists.
Prominent figures from the SPD and the Green Party oppose the reintroduction of compulsory military service. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, during an ARD television appearance, advocated for a voluntary military service model, citing the Bundeswehr’s lack of barracks to accommodate an entire conscription cohort. SPD defense policy spokesperson Falko Droßmann deemed the reinstatement of conscription both impractical and outdated, while Green Party politician Agnieszka Brugger criticized the old system as lacking pragmatism.
Droßmann dismissed the proposal made by Florian Hahn, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s defense policy spokesperson, to reinstate conscription as populist, arguing it merely fuels debate without addressing structural deficiencies. The SPD politician highlighted the lack of infrastructure, such as recruitment offices and functioning barracks, as well as shortages in equipment, uniforms, and trainers, which render traditional conscription impractical.
Droßmann advocated for making the Bundeswehr more attractive to recruits and emphasized the need for specialists and civilian resilience, including improvements in healthcare and emergency services. While he acknowledged that mandatory conscription could be considered in the future, Droßmann stressed the importance of voluntary motivation and better remuneration. He praised Pistorius’ proposal for mandatory registration without immediate conscription, aimed at ensuring scalability in response to evolving security challenges. However, Droßmann also noted that the Swedish model could not be directly applied to Germany due to differing societal and economic conditions.
The CSU has strongly advocated for the reinstatement of conscription in Germany within the current year, asserting that its suspension no longer aligns with the prevailing security threats. Hahn emphasized the urgency of having the first conscripts enter barracks by 2025, arguing that Germany cannot remain passive amidst increasing global instability. Hahn underscored the necessity of credible deterrence, which he linked to the Bundeswehr’s ability to expand its personnel through both voluntary and mandatory service by citizens in uniform.
