Germany considers bringing back compulsory military service
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Germany is considering reinstating compulsory military service as part of “landmark” reforms aimed at making its armed forces better equipped in the event of further Russian aggression on the continent.
The country, which has one of NATO’s largest militaries, should be prepared “in the event of war,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said, as he outlined plans to overhaul the long-neglected military.
It reflects Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s declaration that Germany is at a “Zeitenwende,” or a turning point, following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and must reconsider its defense strategy.
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Cyber warfare, war-readiness at forefront of reforms
The defense minister’s reforms will also create a military division focused on cyber warfare, on the same level as the navy, air force, and army, a move that shows “there is no war … where digital command and control capability does not play a central role,” Pistorius said. Making the military war-ready reflects a change from the current setup in which Germany’s troops are “poorly prepared” for defense because they mostly focus on foreign missions including “the fight against terrorists and pirates [and] the protection of international aid workers in crisis areas,” Die Zeit’s security policy correspondent wrote. Many NATO states began shifting their defense strategies after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, but Germany — whose aggression during World War II left it wary of projecting military power — has taken much longer to usher in changes.
Germany’s moves reflect wider NATO defense revamp
NATO, which turned 75 on Thursday, is now trying to “reverse years of underfunding their own defenses,” CNN’s Luke McGee wrote. In recent years, many of the alliance members did not meet the target of spending at least 2% of their GDP on defense. Many countries are now making new spending pledges, but “most of the plans being drawn up by officials are in reality longer-term — it takes time to build factories and train staff,” McGee wrote. Europe should also prioritize homegrown defense technology, Bloomberg columnist Lionel Laurent wrote, rather than fall behind the U.S. in drone and AI-based tech and have to rely on foreign procurement. “Innovation should be encouraged as defense budgets grow,” he stated.
German conscription could follow ‘Scandinavian model’
Several other European countries, including Serbia and Croatia, are considering bringing back mandatory military service; Latvia reintroduced a draft after Russia’s invasion and urged other countries to follow suit. German politicians will consider the compulsion policy in the coming weeks; it’s possible Germany’s model could be similar to the policies of countries like Norway, in which all 18-year-olds are assessed for possible military services, but only a select few are selected to serve. That fuels competition and makes the slots sought-after, according to Security Outlines, a Czech outlet. Norwegian Princess Ingrid Alexandra, second in line for the throne, was recently selected to serve a year in the military, a move that was cheered by her father.
