logo
Germany will reintroduce compulsory military service screening for all 18-year-old men under plans to ramp up defence amid soaring tensions with Russia

Germany will reintroduce compulsory military service screening for all 18-year-old men under plans to ramp up defence amid soaring tensions with Russia

Daily Mail​4 days ago
Germany is planning to reintroduce compulsory screening for military service for 18-year-old men under plans to ramp up their defence, a defence ministry source said.
Conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz has made boosting Germany's threadbare military a key priority amid a growing threat from Russia and US President Donald Trump 's questioning of the traditional American security umbrella for Europe.
The drive aims to attract volunteers to the armed forces, but includes provisions for compulsory service in case numbers fall short.
As part of planned legislation due to be presented to cabinet next month, all young German men would have to fill out a questionnaire about their readiness and willingness to serve in the military.
The questionnaire would be voluntary for young women.
From 2028, all 18-year-old men would be required to undergo screening to determine their fitness for military service, whether they have shown an interest in joining the armed forces or not.
The planned law would also provide for compulsory military service to be reintroduced if deemed necessary because of the security situation, and provided parliament gives its explicit approval.
Conscription was officially suspended in Germany in 2011 under then chancellor Angela Merkel.
The policy has been introduced amid a growing threat from Russia and Vladimir Putin
Merz has introduced sweeping plans to largely exempt defence spending from Germany's strict debt rules in a drive to build up 'the strongest conventional army in Europe'.
But the Bundeswehr, currently 180,000-strong plus 49,000 reservists, has been struggling to recruit.
This year the defence ministry expects 15,000 new recruits for military service, 5,000 more than last year.
The eventual aim is to have a total military strength of 460,000 - made up of 260,000 active soldiers and 200,000 reservists.
For the moment the government says it plans to rely on volunteers to build up the ranks, and hopes for 40,000 new recruits per year by 2031.
It also wants to make military service more attractive, for example by offering training in new technologies and language courses.
Sweden reintroduced a limited form of conscription in 2017, seven years after abandoning it.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

EV grants: Call me crazy, but I reckon the government's got a plan…
EV grants: Call me crazy, but I reckon the government's got a plan…

Auto Express

time20 minutes ago

  • Auto Express

EV grants: Call me crazy, but I reckon the government's got a plan…

The reintroduction of EV grants is great – a definite step in the right direction and exactly what the automotive industry has been crying out for. But the confusion around who or what might be eligible has sparked knee-jerk reactions from manufacturers not prepared to see sales stall while we all wait for answers. Advertisement - Article continues below Was this the government's plan all along? Announce a murky idea with an intriguing headline, delay the start and any clarification, and wait for the world and his dog to drop prices and make electric cars more affordable? Let them do the hard work so Sir Keir and his cabinet don't have to? Mission accomplished. In a hurry to buy an EV? Our Find a Car service has a host of deals on new electric cars available to buyers now, or alternatively check out our great used electric car prices. Consumers have longed for ICE and electric-car price parity since the days of the original Nissan Leaf, and in recent years the government has flat-out refused to help. But now, with what cynics might describe as some clever manipulation, it has made it look like it has the interests of the industry in its sights while, in effect, forcing the hand of those who feed it. A scheme quite obviously targeted at supporting the UK and European electric-car industry – or, as the mischievous might suggest, actively designed to throttle Chinese and Korean disruptors – has been so badly initiated that even brands from France (Renault) and Italy (Alfa Romeo) have jumped to cut prices. Think that the likes of MG, Leapmotor and Kia have done the same is merely coincidental? I'm not so sure, Whatever the ultimate aim of this scheme, interested parties are able to buy an EV for less than they could 10 days ago. Trouble is, that same EV might be more affordable still come 11 August. Find a car with the experts Hyundai reduces prices across its entire EV range Hyundai reduces prices across its entire EV range Korean brand acts swiftly to cut prices on all its electric cars, amid confusion over Government's grant scheme Congestion Charge EV exemption removal to generate over £75million per year Congestion Charge EV exemption removal to generate over £75million per year TfL is planning to raise the Congestion Charge to £18, and EV drivers will have to pay too Dacia's baby EV due in 12 months with a tiny £15k price tag Dacia's baby EV due in 12 months with a tiny £15k price tag Dacia's new model will be developed in double-quick time, and it'll be built in Europe to avoid China tariffs

Britain caught in a 'debt doom loop,' top hedge fund boss warns
Britain caught in a 'debt doom loop,' top hedge fund boss warns

Daily Mail​

time21 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Britain caught in a 'debt doom loop,' top hedge fund boss warns

Britain is caught in a 'debt doom loop', the boss of one of the world's biggest hedge funds has warned. US billionaire Ray Dalio, who founded Bridgewater Associates, said that the warning signs were 'beginning to flash and flicker' amid higher taxes, rising debts and sluggish growth. But he said the Government's efforts to raise funds by hiking taxes would drive away wealthy taxpayers – leading to a downward spiral for the economy. It comes as Rachel Reeves prepares to further increase levies and slash spending in October to avoid breaking her fiscal rules. Analysts have warned that the Chancellor is facing a black hole of up to £30 billion in the Autumn Budget. The UK's national debt stands at £2.9 trillion – and is expected to hit £3 trillion either this financial year or next. 'The debt doom loop is affecting capital flows. So the necessity for creating taxations that then drive people away,' Mr Dalio, 75, said on The Master Investor podcast. 'As the financial problems and the social problems worsen, having the effect of causing people with money to leave. He added: 'So you have this financial deterioration, that precedes social and economic deterioration that has caused migrations all around the world and so on. 'And there is only one way to deal with that. Both of our countries need a strong leadership of a strong middle. 'They have to have the war between those of the left and those of the right begin to end because difficult choices are going to have to be made, you know, like our countries had in World War II.' It comes after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last week cautioned that Ms Reeves faces having to take drastic action on spending unless she abandons her pledge not to hike taxes on working people. Mr Dalio's comments echoed a warning from the head of the UK spending watchdog who earlier this month said there were 'reasons to worry' about surging debt, but cautioned against 'higher and higher taxes'. Richard Hughes, chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), told MPs that successive chancellors had been willing to see the debt pile 'ratcheted up and up over time'.

Trump sets deadline of 10 or 12 days for Russia on war with Ukraine
Trump sets deadline of 10 or 12 days for Russia on war with Ukraine

Reuters

time21 minutes ago

  • Reuters

Trump sets deadline of 10 or 12 days for Russia on war with Ukraine

TURNBERRY, Scotland, July 28 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump set a new deadline of 10 or 12 days for Russia to make progress toward ending the war in Ukraine or face consequences, underscoring frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the 3-1/2-year-old conflict. Trump has threatened both sanctions on Russia and buyers of its exports unless progress is made. Speaking in Scotland, where he is holding meetings with European leaders and playing golf, Trump said he was disappointed in Putin and shortening a 50-day deadline he had set on the issue earlier this month. "I'm going to make a new deadline of about ... 10 or 12 days from today," Trump told reporters during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "There's no reason in waiting... We just don't see any progress being made." There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin. Trump, who has expressed annoyance also with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has not always followed up on his tough talk about Putin with action, citing what he deems a good relationship that the two men have had previously. On Monday Trump indicated he was not interested in more talks with Putin. He said sanctions and tariffs would be used as penalties for Moscow if it did not meet Trump's demands. "There's no reason to wait. If you know what the answer is going to be, why wait? And it would be sanctions and maybe tariffs, secondary tariffs," Trump said. "I don't want to do that to Russia. I love the Russian people." The U.S. president has repeatedly voiced exasperation with Putin for continuing attacks on Ukraine despite U.S. efforts to end the war. Trump has played up successes in other parts of the world where the United States has helped to broker peace agreements and has been flattered by some leaders who suggest he should be given the Nobel Peace Prize. "I'm disappointed in President Putin," Trump said on Monday. "I'm going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number because I think I already know the answer what's going to happen." Before returning to the White House in January, Trump had promised to end the conflict within 24 hours. "We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever," Trump said. "And I say that's not the way to do it."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store