Germany Plans to Reintroduce Conscription by 2027

Germany is weighing the return of compulsory military service as voluntary recruitment falls short of the Bundeswehr's expansion goals. Senior defence committee head Thomas Röwekamp warned that the government must decide by July 31 2027 whether to reinstate the draft, saying, “I still have serious doubts that we can do it” on a purely voluntary basis.

The Military Service Modernisation Act, passed last year, obliges all 18‑year‑old men to register for possible service, though they can opt out. Only 530 men volunteered between January and May despite about 300,000 registrations. The shortfall has sparked large student protests in Berlin and other cities. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Chancellor Friedrich Merz cite the perceived Russian threat as the driver for a larger army, targeting 260,000 active troops by 2035.

If the draft is reinstated, Germany would reverse the 2011 abolition of conscription, marking a major shift in its post‑Cold‑War defence policy.