(de-news.net) – Henning Otte (CDU), the newly appointed Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, anticipates that deliberations regarding the reintroduction of conscription will promptly commence. He emphasized the imperative for the Bundeswehr to optimize administrative expenditures while concurrently enhancing personnel capabilities. Otte asserted that voluntary service should remain the foundational principle, while voluntary military service lays the groundwork for potential structural changes. Nevertheless, the attainment of a comprehensive national defense strategy necessitates reinforcing the interconnection between the military and civil society.
Otte posited that compulsory service may become essential should voluntary recruitment prove inadequate. He underscored the pressing need for a substantial expansion of military personnel and expressed reservations about the sufficiency of voluntary enlistment in meeting this demand. While the Bundeswehr has garnered increased social and political support, such backing must be accompanied by tangible reinforcements. Major General Henne, Commander of the Territorial Defense Division, concurred, asserting that prospective service models will likely incorporate mandatory elements to safeguard critical infrastructure. Although the CDU-SPD coalition agreement formally endorses a non-mandatory approach, the practical limitations of voluntarism persist as a significant concern.
Given the heightened NATO force level requirements, former Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) purportedly anticipated a swift reinstatement of mandatory military service. She reportedly stressed that the suspended conscription would likely need to be restored in its original form, initially applying exclusively to men. While acknowledging that the coalition agreement’s commitment to improving service conditions as a means of attracting more volunteers constitutes progress, she expressed skepticism regarding its adequacy—particularly in light of expected NATO mandates necessitating a considerable troop augmentation. In her assessment, a broad-based conscription encompassing both men and women would ultimately become indispensable.
Simultaneously, discussions in Germany concerning the potential inclusion of women in compulsory military service have intensified. While the cessation of conscription in 2011 allows for its potential reinstatement for men under existing legal frameworks, the conscription of women would necessitate an amendment to the constitution. Given the foreseeable opposition from parties such as the Left and the Greens, the enactment of such a constitutional revision appears implausible within the current legislative cycle.
