Contemplating the Issue: Merz Leaves the Door Open for Drafting Women

The German federal cabinet has announced a bill for a new military service model, aiming to make the service more attractive and potentially introduce conscription in the long term.

Under the new plan, young men will be required to fill out a questionnaire to indicate their willingness and ability to serve. The service is expected to be more appealing, with efforts being made to enhance its appeal.

The bill also introduces a registry of young men, a measure designed to streamline the process. It is important to note that the current constitution does not allow for women to be conscripted into military service, and a change would be necessary if conscription is reintroduced in the long term.

CDU politician Christine Prien has not ruled out the possibility of conscription for women in the future. She considers conscription for women a "gender equality issue" and supports the idea of a general duty that includes women, implying a possible constitutional change would be needed.

The expansion of military service is linked to the perceived threat from Putin and potential instability in Germany. Olaf Scholz's party ally, Friedrich Merz, justifies the expansion of voluntary military service due to the threat from Vladimir Putin. However, it's crucial to note that Merz does not mention a return to conscription in peacetime in this context.

Interestingly, the plan is to start with 15,000 new conscripts, but the article does not provide any new information about the initial approach of relying on voluntarism or making the service more attractive under the new model.

It's also worth mentioning that the article does not provide any new information about the registry of young men, the questionnaire, or the option for women to participate in the new military service. Furthermore, the bill does not include a return to conscription in peacetime or any changes to the current constitution regarding conscription for women in the long term.

Mandatory conscription is proposed to be introduced in 2027, but the new law expansion is not directly related to this proposed change. Merz states that Putin's intentions include part of his country and believes Putin aims to restore the old Soviet Union and destabilize German democracy.

In conclusion, the German federal cabinet's bill for a new military service model marks a significant step towards potential changes in the country's military landscape. The plan aims to make the service more appealing and could potentially introduce conscription for women, subject to constitutional changes. The expansion of military service is a response to the perceived threat from Putin and potential instability in Germany.