Compulsory military service like that until 2011 is not up for debate – but some form of service for young people is. While the Greens are against it, the military commissioner supports the controversial Pistorius plans.
According to his own words, Green Party leader Omid Nouripour does not believe in reintroducing compulsory military service. “I don’t think conscription is needed,” he told the dpa news agency. “I wouldn’t rule anything out now because it’ll never be of any use. The times are too fluid for that,” he said when asked. “But I don’t see that at all.”
The Greens are of the opinion that conscription leads to more costs and does not necessarily increase military fitness.
Compulsory military service was suspended in July 2011 after 55 years by the then Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU). In practice, this meant an abolition of military and civilian service, because all structures for the mustering and training of larger numbers of soldiers were also abolished.
Högl wants a “relaxed” debate
The Bundestag’s Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Högl, called for the debate about the models for general service in the Bundeswehr and civilian organizations to be “decongested”. A discussion about concrete concepts is necessary, the SPD politician also told the dpa. That doesn’t mean that there will immediately be compulsory military service or a mandatory year for society.
One thing is clear: “No one wants to go back to the old conscription.” It’s about a new concept. The Bundeswehr needs more personnel. There are currently 181,000 soldiers. The goal of 203,000 soldiers by 2030 cannot be achieved if everything in personnel recruitment remains as it is currently.
Example Sweden
Högl referred to the Swedish example: “Everyone first receives mail, they are spoken to and asked to get in touch. Then they are screened and given an offer.” Sweden doesn’t draft an entire vintage. So there isn’t really compulsory military service there, “but those who are suitable and who want to are taken.”
She is in favor of more commitment than the Federal Voluntary Service and in favor of taking both men and women into account. A service would then have to be examined for the Bundeswehr as well as for culture, social issues and the environment. “And if you want to keep as much voluntary action as possible, then it has to be attractive,” she said. “The incentives need to be discussed. Start-up capital, advantages when looking for a training or study place or bonuses for retirement provision.”
Criticism also from within his own party
Because of the changed security situation after the Russian attack on Ukraine, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) is examining models of compulsory military service and also taking the Swedish model of compulsory military service into account. Criticism of this came, among others, from the FDP and SPD leader Saskia Esken. Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected the debate in February. “The Bundeswehr has been converted into a professional army. Therefore, returning to compulsory military service makes no sense,” the SPD politician told the “Bild” newspaper.
The coalition agreement between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP states: “The Bundeswehr must be demographically stable and balanced in the long term with regard to the age structure.” How this can be achieved is not described.
In the draft of its new basic program, the CDU is relying on a mandatory “social year”. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has been promoting his idea of compulsory social time since last year. It should last six to twelve months and can be completed at different phases of life.