Annual report 2023
Getting older, getting smaller: the military commissioner is sounding the alarm about the Bundeswehr
Eva Högl (SPD), Defense Commissioner of the German Bundestag, speaks about the state of the Bundeswehr
© Carsten Koall / DPA
The Bundeswehr is more important than it has been since the Cold War. But the military commissioner Eva Högl draws a critical balance despite the “turning point” in the 2023 annual report. The most important points.
In the second year of the military turnaround, the Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Högl, hardly noticed any substantial improvements in personnel, material and infrastructure in the Bundeswehr. In addition, according to their assessment, the German armed forces are heading for significant personnel problems. The SPD politician’s annual report for 2023, published in Berlin on Tuesday, names the most important construction sites for Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD):
Bundeswehr personnel:
“The force continues to age and shrink,” warns Högl. A number of associations have large “personnel vacancies”. As of December 31st, 181,514 soldiers were serving in the Bundeswehr, 1,537 fewer than in the previous year. There are more than 20,000 positions unfilled, more than 17 percent. The proportion of women is too low at around 15 percent. There has been no improvement in the number of women in leadership positions. “This has to get better,” said Högl when presenting the report.
There is concern about an increase in sexual assaults. “There must be a clear red line,” she demanded. Overall, the shortage of personnel and the large number of orders lead to an enormous workload for the troops. The report states: “If there are too few staff, the same people always have to work.” Högl hopes that the current government will come up with a “rough concept” for compulsory service, which can then be implemented in the next legislature.
Equipment:
“There is a lack of material from large equipment to spare parts. The shortage has become even greater due to the delivery to Ukraine,” writes Högl. There is support among the soldiers for aid to Ukraine. Despite faster procurement, gaps in ammunition and spare parts could only be closed in the medium term. According to the Defense Ministry’s assessment, the Bundeswehr can fulfill its alliance obligations in NATO, but must “continue to accept serious restrictions.” Ray of hope: The personal equipment for the individual soldiers is now available and is so extensive that there is not enough space in the lockers.
Bureaucracy and procurement:
Högl complains about over-bureaucratized processes and structures in the Bundeswehr. She writes that “important decisions were made in many areas” last year without the Bundeswehr achieving its goal. She referred to an “unprecedented number” of so-called 25 million templates with which the Ministry of Defense obtained the green light in the Bundestag for larger procurement projects. The Bundestag approved 55 of these proposals with a total financial volume of 47 billion euros for armaments projects.
Infrastructure:
The situation in barracks and offices is disastrous in many places. “I receive letters from parents whose children have just started service – in barracks with dilapidated rooms, moldy showers and clogged toilets.” The poor condition of the barracks is partly shameful and inappropriate for the service of the soldiers. State authorities already have a responsibility for construction projects that prioritize their own construction projects contrary to the interests of the Bundeswehr. Högl warns: “Among other things, it would be desirable for projects to be quickly examined and approved by the Federal Ministry of Finance.”
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Defense spending:
With a total of 58.5 billion euros, the money provided for the armed forces in 2023 has increased significantly compared to previous years. The defense budget itself (“Individual Plan 14”) was slightly lower at 50.1 billion euros compared to 50.4 billion euros in 2022. However, an additional 8.4 billion euros were available from the 100 billion euro special fund for the Bundeswehr. NATO’s two percent target will not yet be achieved in 2023, “even if this is likely to change with the 2024 budget.” It can be seen that once the special fund has been exhausted at the end of 2027, “a significant increase in the defense budget in the order of several billion euros will be necessary.”
Extremism:
Right-wing extremist incidents have repeatedly made headlines in recent years and have also triggered investigations. “For the past reporting year, it was pleasing to note once again that extremism in the Bundeswehr only affected a small minority of soldiers. In 2023, the Ministry of Defense submitted 204 reportable events related to extremism to the Commissioner for the Armed Forces,” Högl now writes. The security check by the Military Counterintelligence Service resulted in “longer processing times” in the reporting year compared to the previous year.
Security situation:
The military commissioner points out that the Bundeswehr’s second major foreign deployment to Afghanistan ended last year in Mali, West Africa, and writes: “The results are similarly sobering.” However, with the refocus on national and alliance defense, such missions would become less likely. Never since the end of the Cold War has the external security of Germany and Europe been so threatened, writes Högl about the situation, citing the Russian attack on Ukraine, the fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh in the Middle East and tensions between China and Taiwan. Your assessment of the conflicts: “Above all, they show that military power is becoming increasingly important.”