Opinion poll
One in two people support the reintroduction of compulsory military service
Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in 2011. photo
© Frank May/dpa
The federal government wants to strengthen Germany’s defense capability. Every second German citizen supports the reintroduction of compulsory service in the Bundeswehr.
According to a Forsa survey, around half of German citizens are currently in favor of one Reintroduction of compulsory military service. In the survey commissioned by “Stern”, 52 percent of those surveyed were in favor of compulsory service in the Bundeswehr, as the magazine announced. 43 percent opposed it, five percent expressed no opinion.
According to the information, the strongest supporters of compulsory military service were in the age group over 60 – 59 percent were in favor of it. However, among 18 to 29 year olds, 59 percent were against compulsory military service. Details such as the duration and structure of such an official duty were not requested.
In order to strengthen its defense capability, the Federal Government wants the Bundeswehr to grow significantly. In fact, the number of soldiers will have fallen in 2023 – to 181,500 men and women. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) is currently having models of compulsory service examined. These include the model practiced in Sweden, where all young women and men are screened and a selected portion receive offers of service. This is a type of model obligation.
Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in July 2011 after 55 years under the then Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU), which in practice amounted to an abolition of military and community service. This is also because practically all the necessary structures have been dissolved, although conscription is being revived in the event of tension and defense. A reintroduction of compulsory military service is met with resistance primarily from the FDP, but also from the SPD and the Greens.