Germany weighs reinstating conscription as recruitment lags

German officials are examining a return to compulsory military service as the Bundeswehr struggles to meet recruitment targets. Parliamentary defence committee chair Thomas Röwekamp said a decision on reinstating conscription must be taken by 31 July 2027, after volunteer numbers fell far short of the goal of 260,000 active soldiers and 200,000 reservists. The armed forces currently have about 180,000 personnel. A new law requires 18‑year‑old men to complete a health questionnaire, while women remain on a voluntary basis; only 530 recruits joined between January and May despite outreach to roughly 300,000 youths. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to build Europe’s strongest conventional army, increasing defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2029. If voluntary recruitment does not meet the set targets, the Bundestag could vote to make military service mandatory.