(de-news.net) – Joschka Fischer, the former German Foreign Minister, has advocated for the reintroduction of conscription, citing the Bundeswehr’s insufficient personnel levels as a pressing concern. He contended that gender equality must be upheld in all aspects of national service and underscored the imperative of safeguarding individual freedoms, even if doing so necessitates armed defense. He emphasized that women should be equally obligated to fulfill conscription duties. In retrospect, Fischer acknowledged that his previous opposition to mandatory military service had been erroneous when viewed in light of contemporary geopolitical developments.

The chairman of the Bundeswehr Association, André Wüstner, has urged expeditious measures, warning of the irresponsibility inherent in deferring preparations for mandatory service. Henning Otte, the parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, in a similar vein, recently asserted that should voluntary enlistment prove inadequate in bolstering troop numbers, the introduction of obligatory military service may become imperative. While the government is presently contemplating the implementation of a service model predicated on voluntary enlistment, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has suggested that, given certain exigencies, the reinstatement of conscription could constitute a prudent policy decision.