WW3 fears spark ’emergency conscription’ for 18-year-olds in Germany | World | News
Germany has adopted a new form of military service to bolster its armed forces amid rising tensions with Russia. This comes after months of debate among a coalition of NATO nations over the future of national service.
The move is likely to raise further questions in the UK about whether the UK should adopt a similar approach at a critical time for defence. According to plans, starting next year, all 18-year-old men will be called for medical examinations to assess their military ability. They will also be asked to fill out a survey asking about their willingness to serve, as well as details about their physical and mental health.
Women over 18 will also receive the survey but are not required to respond.
After filling out the form, all men will be required to undergo a medical examination, even if they do not want to serve.
Beyond reintroducing compulsory military service, which ended in 2011, the new model aims to enlist only those who sign up voluntarily.
However, if the voluntary military target is not met, individuals may be randomly selected for compulsory service.
This was described as a “last resort” by the coalition government in Berlin.
This comes as Germany plans to significantly increase the number of its forces, known as the Bundeswehr, from 182,000 to 260,000 by 2035.
There are also plans to increase the number of reserves from 140,000 to 200,000.
Plans to encourage volunteers to come forward include incentives such as subsidies that would make it cheaper to get a driver’s license after a year of service.
Volunteers will also be offered a competitive salary with a salary package of £2,293 (€2,600) per month.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he was “very confident” that the plan, which will come into force from January 2026, will work.
He said: “Other European countries, especially those in the north, show that the principle of voluntary service works when combined with attractiveness, and I expect the same here.”
In July, Denmark expanded compulsory military service to women aged 18 through a lottery system.
Lithuania, Sweden and Latvia will reintroduce compulsory military service in 2015, 2018 and 2024 respectively, while Poland is working on plans for all men in the country to receive military training.
Britain has not had military service since 1963, when National Service was abolished.
But the issue has grown larger in recent years due to the actions of NATO allies and growing concerns about the threat posed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Calls have intensified since General Sir Patrick Sanders, then head of the British Army, said last year that the UK should have a “citizen’s army” to prepare for a large-scale war – but stopped short of suggesting conscription or conscription.
NATO allies agreed to increase defense spending to 5 percent by 2035; 3.5 percent of this will be allocated to basic defense and 1.5 percent to “defense-related expenditures”.
