Germany’s cabinet approved a draft bill on Wednesday (August 27) to introduce voluntary military service, as Berlin seeks to strengthen national defence amid heightened security concerns over Russia.
The proposed six-month programme is designed to double the country’s pool of trained reservists, currently around 100,000, and encourage some participants to pursue careers in active service.
The draft will now head to parliament, where it is expected to face tough debate — a test of Germany’s resolve to reinforce its defences following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Compulsory conscription was abolished in 2011, and the Bundeswehr has since struggled to meet recruitment goals. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius aims to boost the force from 180,000 to 260,000 troops by the early 2030s, in line with NATO targets and rising security demands.
“The Bundeswehr must grow,” Pistorius told reporters. “Russia’s aggressive stance makes this necessary. We don’t just need a well-equipped force — we also need personnel strength. Only then will deterrence against Russia be truly credible.”
Under the plan, recruitment targets would rise from 20,000 in 2026 to 38,000 by 2030. Should those goals not be met, the government could consider reintroducing conscription, pending parliamentary approval.
Alongside the bill, the government announced the creation of a permanent National Security Council to improve long-term security planning. The body will replace the Federal Security Council and Security Cabinet, fulfilling a campaign pledge by Chancellor Friedrich Merz to refocus Germany’s security policy.
Merz also revealed he had agreed with French President Emmanuel Macron to take a decision on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project by year’s end. The multinational initiative seeks to deliver next-generation fighter jets and systems for European air forces.
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Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Millions of people across Spain and Iceland are preparing on Wednesday to witness a rare total solar eclipse, when the moon will pass directly between Earth and the Sun, briefly turning daylight into darkness along a narrow path.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 12th of August, covering the latest developments.
Taiwan staged military defence drills on Wednesday as China concluded joint naval exercises with Indonesia in waters east of the island.
Washington’s counter-narcotics push is expanding as Colombia’s new conservative government backs deeper security cooperation.
Meta said it had removed more than 750,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts suspected of belonging to Australians under 16, as the country’s internet regulator weighs enforcement action over its teen social media ban.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has used Pacific Fleet drills to criticise Japan, NATO and possible Western moves against Russian commercial ships. He made the comments during his first visit to Iturup, a Japan-claimed island at the end of the Kuril chain near the island of Hokkaido.
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