German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is preparing legislation for a six-month voluntary military service that would be presented to the cabinet by the end of August and enter into force in January 2026. Sources familiar with the draft say the first recruits would begin training in May 2026, performing basic guard and logistics duties while receiving incentives such as driving licences for trucks or tanks.
The scheme is designed to narrow a manpower gap the Bundeswehr estimates at 50,000–60,000 soldiers. Berlin wants to raise the number of active troops to roughly 250,000–260,000 and double the pool of trained reservists to about 200,000. Pistorius has told lawmakers he aims to induct around 15,000 volunteers in the first year and a total of 114,000 by the end of 2029, with conscription reinstated only if voluntary recruitment falls short or the security situation deteriorates.
Support within the governing Social Democrats for a potential return to compulsory service has grown, and a recent survey found a clear majority of Germans favour a draft applying to both men and women. Employer federations, however, cautioned that any mandatory call-up could deepen an already acute shortage of skilled labour and slow efforts to revive Europe’s largest economy.
Separately, Pistorius has begun overhauling the military leadership. Army Inspector Alfons Mais will be replaced in September by Major General Christian Freuding, while Generaloberstabsarzt Nicole Schilling will become the first woman to serve as deputy Inspector General of the Bundeswehr. The personnel moves and the new service model form part of a broader push to strengthen Germany’s defence posture amid heightened tensions with Russia.
🇩🇪 Germany wants to double the number of reservists
Informants add that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius wants the measure to be approved by the end of August, and for the first recruits to start training starting in May 2026.
Heiner Flassbeck: #unemployment, #job vacancies, and the industrial economy are interrelated - In #Germany, companies are laying off more and more workers. This is due to a demand shock, chart @surplusmagazin
