German coalition faces debate over military draft
There are no talks planned between Germany's coalition parties on reintroducing compulsory military service despite the moves to strengthen the armed forces, according to a senior member of parliament.
"The coalition agreement clearly states that we are in favour of voluntary service," Matthias Miersch, the leader of the Social Democrats (SPD) parliamentary group - the junior partner in the conservative-led government - told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung newspaper.
"We can negotiate compulsory military service in the next legislative period if necessary, but not in this one," he added in remarks published on Saturday, referring to the tenure of the current parliament which is due to run until 2029.
Miersch said the goal of 60,000 additional soldiers, cited by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, is achievable only in the medium term: "At the moment, there is not nearly enough training capacity available."
Military service was mandatory for Germany men from 1956 to 2011, with the possibility of doing civilian service instead on grounds of conscientious objection.
However, due to the Ukraine war and the perceived increased Russian threat to Europe, there has been discussion of reintroducing the draft as in some EU states, such as Lithuania in 2015 and Croatia which is planning to do so this year. It comes amid a broader rearmament effort among European nations.
Pistorius, also from the SPD, has said that another 60,000 troops would be needed in Germany's active forces for NATO's planning targets for increased defence capability.
Pressure from the right
The new parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, Henning Otte, who like Chancellor Friedrich Merz comes from the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), has floated the idea of renewed conscription to prevent the Bundeswehr – Germany's military - from being overstretched.
As the new commissioner, Otte told reporters that he intended to "put this on my agenda again this year."
The head of the Bundeswehr Association, André Wüstner, also advised the coalition to move towards a possible new draft.
To achieve the increased NATO targets, voluntary service must become more attractive, said Wüstner. He also expressed doubts that it would be possible to recruit up to 60,000 additional men and women for the active forces on a voluntary basis.
Miersch said that the key question was exactly how to make military service attractive to citizens.
This was not currently possible simply because of the lack of equipment, he argued, urging Pistorius to "now invest and appeal to young people differently."
The chairman of the defence committee in the parliament, CDU politician Thomas Röwekamp, also backed reintroducing compulsory service.
"Of the approximately 700,000 school leavers, less than 10% currently opt for voluntary service and only 10,000 for service in the Bundeswehr," Röwekamp told the Rheinische Post newspaper.
"Anyone who wants to live their life in freedom and prosperity cannot rely solely on the commitment of others."
He therefore called for compulsory service for men and women in the military or alternatively in social or civil society areas. "In this way, we not only strengthen our defence capabilities, but also social cohesion," he said.
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