The move is aimed at attracting volunteers to join the German army, but also includes provisions allowing the application of mandatory military service in cases where the number of registrations is not enough.
This is the content of the draft law expected to be submitted to the cabinet in August. Accordingly, all German men over the age of 18 must complete a survey on their readiness and volunteer service in the army. For women, answering the survey is voluntary.
From 2028, all 18-year-old men will have to undergo a mandatory screening process to assess their suitability for military service, regardless of whether they want to join the army or not.
The draft law also provides a plan to re-apply compulsory military service in cases where security conditions require it. However, this can only be carried out when clearly approved by the National Assembly.
The military service regime in Germany was officially suspended in 2011 under Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The German army currently has 180,000 active soldiers and 49,000 reserve soldiers. However, the German army is having difficulty in recruiting troops. In 2025, the German Defense Ministry set a target of 15,000 new recruits, an increase of 5,000 people compared to 2024.
The German military's ultimate goal is to increase the total number of troops to 460,000, including 260,000 active troops and 200,000 reserve troops.
The German government has said it plans to build a volunteer-based army with a target of recruiting 40,000 new recruits per year by 2031.
The German government also plans to increase the appeal of military service through high-tech training programs and foreign language courses.
Sweden, Germany's northern neighbor, re-applied limited military service in 2017, seven years after abolishing the former.
