German defense minister says military draft could return if volunteer numbers fall short

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Germany may reinstate compulsory military service if a revamped volunteer system fails to meet recruitment goals, the defense minister said in comments published Saturday.

In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Boris Pistorius laid out a timeline for Germany’s new military service model, which aims to bolster the understrength army. The initial program will rely on voluntary enlistment, but Pistorius warned that could change.

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“If the time comes when we have more capacity available than voluntary registrations, then a decision may be made to make recruitment mandatory. That is the roadmap,” he said.

Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius speaks with the media as he arrives for a meeting of EU defense ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Tuesday, May 20, 2025.  (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

He said the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz is moving quickly on a new military service bill and hopes it will come into force as early as January 2026.

The debate over reinstating conscription in Germany has been intensifying as concerns rise about national defense readiness and evolving security threats in Europe.

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Germany suspended its draft in 2011, but has struggled to meet troop targets as defense demands grow following Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Pistorius also said the military service plan would include efforts to reactivate more reservists.