DThe SPD parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, Rolf Mützenich, does not think much of a return to compulsory military service. “At this point in time, we should primarily work on making the Bundeswehr more attractive. It needs to be better equipped and barracks need to be repaired. We should concentrate on that,” he told the Germany editorial network.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) told “Welt am Sonntag” that, given the shortage of personnel in the troops, he was examining models of compulsory military service and mentioned the Swedish conscription model. “All young women and men are mustered there, and only a select few of them end up doing basic military service. Whether something like this would also be conceivable here is part of these considerations,” said the SPD politician. However, he pointed out that – regardless of the model – a political majority is needed.
FDP also against return to compulsory military service
SPD leader Saskia Esken had also rejected the minister's considerations about reactivating compulsory military service. She told the German Press Agency: “I believe that the Bundeswehr, as a professional army, is now well positioned and needs to be further developed.”
The FDP had also rejected the defense minister's considerations. Parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr justified this in an interview last week by saying that such a “serious interference with the freedom of young people” hinders their professional orientation. The other traffic light coalition partner, the Greens, was opposed to conscription long before it was suspended twelve years ago.
Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in 2011 after 55 years. Pistorius described this as a mistake shortly after taking office. However, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) rejected a debate about a return to compulsory military service in February. “The Bundeswehr was converted into a professional army. Therefore, there is no point in returning to compulsory military service,” he said.
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