The Bundeswehr has a personnel shortage – soldiers without German citizenship could fill gaping gaps. Defense Minister Pistorius is fundamentally open to the idea, and there is now support from the Union and FDP.
To address the shortage of personnel in the Bundeswehr, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) is open to accepting soldiers without a German passport. He now received support for this proposal from defense politicians in the traffic light coalition as well as from the opposition.
“Fundamentally, we have to think in a much more European way when looking for suitable young people who are willing to serve in the Bundeswehr,” said the chairwoman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), to the “Rheinische Post “.
This also includes the consideration “that soldiers without a German passport can get one more quickly through successful service in the Bundeswehr.”
Many questions still remain unanswered
The deputy chairman of the Union parliamentary group for defense policy, Johann Wadephul (CDU), was also open. “In principle, this idea is correct, but the design is crucial,” Wadephul told the newspaper. “Does this option only apply to citizens of EU or NATO countries or even beyond? Is complete knowledge of the German language necessary?”
Many questions that need to be clarified. “Minister Pistorius himself has stated that the Bundeswehr must be ready for war in five to eight years. That is an awfully short period of time when it comes to personnel strategy. So he should act as quickly as possible.”