Germany's coalition government has agreed a new voluntary military service model, politicians said Thursday, after weeks of wrangling over whether there should be a compulsory element.

Berlin

Germany has approved a new military plan focused on voluntary service to increase the size of its armed forces, citing heightened Russian threats and concerns about U.S. reliability. The initiative, set to begin next year, will require all 18-year-old men to complete a questionnaire about their willingness to serve and undergo a medical test, with financial incentives offered to encourage participation.

While the government does not currently plan to reinstate conscription, officials indicated that mandatory service remains a possibility if voluntary enlistment falls short. NATO has called for Germany to increase its military strength to 460,000 troops, but the Bundeswehr currently has significantly fewer active and reserve personnel.

Germany approves voluntary military service to boost army

Faced with growing Russian threats and an unreliable U.S. partner under the Trump administration, Germany has agreed to a new military plan to boost its numbers. There is no reason for concern or fear, because the lesson is clear. The more capable our armed forces are of deterrence and defense through armament, training and personnel, the less likely we are to become a party of conflict. And that serves everyone. That is the lesson we learned from the Cold War. The coalition government will focus on voluntary service by making it more attractive to young people. Starting next year, all 18-year-old men will have to fill in a questionnaire on whether they would want to serve and undergo a medical test. There will be other financial incentives as well to encourage people to join the military. But the agreement has not been without its hurdles, particularly over questions regarding mandatory service. While there are no plans to reinstate conscription, it's not off the table. We want to inspire as many young people as possible to serve their country. If voluntary participation ultimately proves insufficient, there will also need to be a mandatory obligation, aiming for a conscription system that enlists as many individuals as necessary to ensure our defense capabilities. But this would need additional legislation passed. NATO Secretary General Mark Grutter welcomed the agreement, as NATO targets called for Germany to build up its total military strength to 460,000 troops, including active and reserve. The Bundeswehr is currently a far cry from those figures, with only around 182,000 active soldiers and 49,000 reservists.

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