Young Germans opting out of military service as Berlin strives to boost army | Germany

The number of young men in Germany applying to become conscientious objectors and refuse armed military service has risen sharply this year, undermining Berlin’s bid to create Europe’s strongest conventional army and deter the Russian threat.

More people applied to exclude themselves from service on religious or moral grounds in the first half of 2026 than in the whole of last year, according to figures released by the government on Tuesday.

In the period to June 30, the federal office of family affairs and civil society functions, which considers such requests, received 5,862 applications, a spokesman said. A report by RND media group.

This compared with 3,879 applications in all of 2025 and 2,249 in 2024. federal office, previously reported It was stated that 2,667 requests were accepted as of the end of May this year. Last year, 2,830 people were approved.

The German constitution guarantees the right to conscientious objection and states: “No one shall be forced to perform military service that involves the use of weapons against his conscience.”

The move to apply for objector status is preemptive, as Germany does not have an active draft. Instead, in an effort to replenish the country’s depleted military, this year the government required all German men over the age of 18 to fill out a form indicating they are ready for military service and ready to undergo a medical examination.

Under the plan proposed by the Social Democrats’ popular defense minister Boris Pistorius, women are encouraged to serve in the army voluntarily but are not required to participate in the selection process.

The ruling conservative Christian Union parties (CDU/CSU) have said compulsory military service, suspended since 2011, could be reintroduced if Pistorius fails to make sufficient progress towards his goal of having 260,000 active volunteer soldiers by 2035. Such a step would require further legislation.

In 2011, 4,348 people applied for conscientious objector status.

This year’s increase appeared to be triggered by the new “light conscription” policy that came into effect on January 1, as well as concerns about the possibility of military intervention in security hotspots. Strait of Hormuz and post-war peacekeeping operation Ukrainian.

Germany, which like many western countries dramatically reduced its military after the Cold War, has about 186,000 active troops and serious talent gaps This is an issue that Berlin is trying to solve.

Increasing geopolitical instability, the threat from Russia since its large-scale invasion of Ukraine, and pressure from Donald Trump have pushed Germany to abandon its post-war pacifism in favor of a stronger military base.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office last year promising to militarize Germany’s armed forces, or Bundeswehr. “Europe’s most powerful conventional army”.

Those applying for conscientious objector status you need to send A short letter of intent to the Bundeswehr with a personal signature, a CV and a personal statement explaining the reasons for refusing armed service.

While the increase in the number of applicants in Germany is making headlines, it is reported that the number of people who want to take back the previously recognized conscientious objector status has also increased.

The Neue Osnabrücker newspaper reported in April that 233 people chose to waive their recognized right to refuse service in the first quarter of 2026, after 781 people waived it in all of 2025.

Persons granted conscientious objector status may be called to civilian duties in a security emergency.

Polls show support in germany to rearm and replenish the ranks of the army. But this year thousands of young people staged nationwide protests and “school strikes” against the policy, saying the government was trying to turn them into “cannon fodder”.