Merz: Germany May Reintroduce Mandatory Military Service
Mertz admitted to the return of mandatory military service in Germany.
Consensus
- Friedrich Merz, Chancellor of Germany, stated that Germany may need to reintroduce mandatory military conscription in the future.
- Merz mentioned that the idea of reintroducing military service was included in the party's main program for valid reasons.
- Merz expressed confidence that both young men and women in Germany are willing to serve in the military.
- Germany has recently reintroduced voluntary military service, which was previously abolished in 2011.
- The goal of the current military expansion is to increase the Bundeswehr's personnel to 260,000 by 2035 and train 200,000 reservists.
- There is growing concern in Germany about national security, particularly regarding Russia.
Points of divergence
- In Germany, the number of people refusing military service increased nearly fourfold from January to September 2026 compared to the entire year of 2025, with nearly 15,000 refusal applications filed. — vesti
- Merz stated that Russia allegedly threatens the order in Europe. — vedomosti
- The German parliament's defense committee chair, Thomas Rövekamp, said Germany is considering introducing mandatory military service for men by 2027. — vedomosti
Coverage (2 sources)
- Merz allowed return of mandatory military service in Germany — Вести
- Mertz: In the future, Germany will have to return military service — Ведомости