Leading politicians from the CDU and SPD call for. - Mandatory military service extended to females.
Female volunteers in the German Bundeswehr may soon be replaced by conscripted men and women, as suggested by Schleswig-Holstein's Minister President Daniel Günther (CDU) and the Bundestag's Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces Eva Högl (SPD). These leaders believe that focusing only on young men for compulsory military service is outdated and call for a more inclusive and balanced approach to defense.
In an interview with Augsburger Allgemeine, Högl expressed her views, stating that "it no longer fits the times" to focus on just men for conscription. She believes that both men and women should be involved in the armed forces for Germany's defense. She says, "We must no longer distinguish between the sexes."
Günther agrees with Högl. As CDU leader, he expressed his perspective to Augsburger Allgemeine as well, stating that "compulsory military service should apply to both men and women."
The reintroduction of mandatory military service has been a topic of discussion lately. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) rekindled the debate when he spoke at Johns Hopkins University in Washington in early May, saying that Germany needs some form of compulsory military service. He did not specify which type, though.
According to Welt am Sonntag, there are three potential options in a ministry document regarding mandatory military service. The third option is for gender-neutral compulsory military service, followed by a transition to general compulsory service.
The CDU sees general compulsory service as the future. Günther explains, "In the long run, compulsory military service must then be redesigned with general compulsory service."
Should Germany actually adopt this policy change, it would become the fourth NATO country after Norway, Sweden, and Denmark (from 2026) with mandatory military service.
Supporters of mandatory military service in Germany eagerly look to the Swedish model. In this approach, all 18-year-olds are required to complete an online questionnaire about their health and other relevant information. Some are then tested, and only a few ultimately get drafted. However, if not enough volunteers come forward, this model allows for mandatory conscription.
With around 180,000 soldiers currently serving in the Bundeswehr, the goal is to increase this number to 203,000 by 2031.
While the CDU supports mandatory military service, their coalition partners the FDP and the Greens firmly oppose it. Green Party leader Omid Nouripour expressed his views to the news agency DPA, saying, "I don't think compulsory military service is necessary." FDP Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai also sees conscription as an obstacle to transforming the Bundeswehr into "the most modern and professional army on the continent." He told Welt am Sonntag that the 900,000 reservists must be integrated instead. So far, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has not indicated his support for compulsory military service.
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Source: symclub.org
