Germany has seen a 28% surge in military enlistment this year, with over 13,700 new recruits, as the government prepares a new voluntary service law and weighs reintroducing national conscription by 2027.
A growing number of young people in Germany are joining the country's armed forces, according to a new report published by Der Spiegel on Tuesday.
Data released by the German Federal Ministry of Defence shows that 13,750 new recruits had joined the Bundeswehr — Germany’s federal armed forces — by 21 July, representing a 28% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
This uptick includes both fixed-term voluntary soldiers and young people entering the military through Germany’s voluntary military service programme. The latter allows a six-month probationary period before a long-term decision is made.
The total number of uniformed personnel in the Bundeswehr now stands at approximately 183,100 — about 2,000 more than a year ago. The number of participants in voluntary military service has also climbed by 15%, now reaching around 11,350.
Officials attribute the rise to focused media outreach and heightened awareness due to shifts in Europe’s security environment. “Germany’s changing security landscape and international responsibilities have made military preparedness a greater national priority,” the ministry said.
In response, the German cabinet is preparing to vote on a new defence law proposed by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. The law, expected to be decided at the end of August, would launch a revised military service model in 2026. It would remain voluntary but include improved pay and more appealing service conditions to draw in up to 15,000 new conscripts per year.
Under the planned system, a mandatory pre-service assessment is due to be introduced in 2027 — a step that could pave the way for a broader reactivation of national service, more than a decade after Germany suspended conscription in 2011.
A new poll by the Forsa Institute conducted on 28 to 29 July highlights changing attitudes toward defence. According to the survey, 61% of Germans support reinstating mandatory service if voluntary enlistment proves inadequate.
However, enthusiasm to serve remains low: just 16% of respondents said they would definitely be willing to take up arms in defence of Germany if attacked. Among younger Germans aged 18 to 29, 61% were opposed to the idea of conscription.
Germany suspended compulsory military service in 2011 amid broader NATO downsizing, but recent geopolitical developments — including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and rising global instability — have reignited debate over national defence capabilities.
The Defence Ministry's recruitment push comes amid broader efforts to revitalise the Bundeswehr, following longstanding criticism over equipment shortages and military readiness.
North Korea has withdrawn its ambassador to the United Kingdom just one month after he arrived in London, in a move linked to British sanctions on a c...
Pakistan announced Thursday that a landmark memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran has entered into force with immediate effect, markin...
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that Israeli settler groups could be added to a global blacklist for violations against children if ...
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has told U.S. President Donald Trump to "stay out" of Brazil's upcoming election, pushing back against ...
Israel approved the expansion of a Jewish school for settlers living in the centre of the Palestinian city of Hebron in the West Bank on Wednesday, i...
Four people were killed while the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a symbol of Ukrainian spiritual and cultural history, caught fire, in the heaviest Russian air attack on the Ukrainian capital in two weeks, authorities said on Monday.
For decades, the factory taught the battlefield. Ukraine is now reversing the lesson.
The United States is planning to significantly reduce the aircraft and warships it makes available for NATO operations in Europe, according to reports citing two senior European officials.
Italy will significantly increase its defence and security spending next year, but Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni argued that NATO allies should focus less on spending targets and more on adapting to the changing nature of warfare.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. President criticised Israel for its tactics against Hezbollah, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to tackle militants.
U.S. President Donald Trump said a preliminary agreement to end the war in the Gulf has been signed by the U.S. and Iran, though details have yet to be made public and both countries said a permanent truce is yet to be negotiated.
Australia's weather bureau warned on Tuesday that an El Niño weather pattern has formed in the tropical Pacific and could intensify in the second half of 2026, becoming one of the strongest events recorded in seven decades.
Pakistan's heavy reliance on imported energy was laid bare by the U.S.-Iran conflict, which disrupted regional supplies, drove up costs and exposed vulnerabilities in the country's energy security. However, a proposed peace agreement now offers hope for economic relief.
A cyber extortion group has claimed it stole more than a terabyte of data from Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk after the company allegedly refused to pay a $25 million ransom.
North Korea has withdrawn its ambassador to the United Kingdom just one month after he arrived in London, in a move linked to British sanctions on a children's camp, according to reports.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has told U.S. President Donald Trump to "stay out" of Brazil's upcoming election, pushing back against comments made by the American leader about the country's political situation.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged new attacks overnight on Thursday. Missiles struck Kyiv while Ukrainian drones hit a major oil refinery in Moscow, just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders on efforts to end the war.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 18 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
UN Women chief Sima Bahous warned the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday that peace processes are more fragile and less effective when women are excluded from decision-making, as global conflict levels reach their highest point since the UN was founded.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment