The Bundeswehr is suffering from an acute shortage of personnel. That is why Boris Pistorius wants to introduce a comprehensive package of measures at the beginning of 2024.
Berlin – Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) is examining the situation due to an acute shortage of personnel armed forces different Models of compulsory service. This also includes the model practiced in Sweden, in which all young women and men are mustered, but only a selected number of them ultimately do basic military service. Pistorius commented on this to the World on Sunday. He emphasized that he is carefully examining all available options, but that every model, regardless of its design, also requires political majorities.
Pistorius is examining compulsory service models and alternative solutions for the Bundeswehr
Conscription was suspended in Germany in 2011, and Pistorius called the decision a mistake shortly after taking office. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) rejected a debate about a return to compulsory military service in February. Now Pistorius said: “There were reasons at the time to suspend compulsory military service. Looking back, it was a mistake.” However, a return to compulsory military service is structurally, constitutionally and politically difficult, as the minister noted. He further explained that the demographic structure of the Bundeswehr must be balanced in the long term, as in the SPD coalition agreement, Greens and FDP is held.
When asked how this goal would be achieved, Pistorius said that a personnel task force was set up in August. The work of this task force has resulted in 65 specific proposals for recruitment, recruitment, training and entry requirements. Implementation of these proposals is expected to begin at the beginning of next year.
Debate about compulsory military service in the Bundeswehr: FDP warns against interference with civil liberties
The FDP expressed a contradiction to one possible reintroduction of compulsory military service. Alexander Müller, the defense policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group, warned of an “enormous encroachment on civil liberties that is disproportionate to the threat to Germany.” He emphasized the need for motivated and well-paid volunteers in the Bundeswehr instead of resorting to coercive measures. It is not the state's job to intervene in the freedom of young people to work through “coercive measures” in order to plug gaps. (Ekaterina Jalunina / dpa)
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