Overview
- The reform is slated to take effect on 1 January 2026 pending Bundesrat approval, with the 2008 birth cohort receiving a QR‑code survey that men must complete or face possible fines.
- Nationwide Musterung will be built up through 24 assessment centers with full capacity targeted by mid‑2027, while women remain exempt under current constitutional rules despite renewed political calls to change that.
- The new voluntary service offers at least €2,600 gross per month plus allowances, free housing and travel, and career supports, which IW analysts describe as financially highly attractive.
- The government plans for about 20,000 voluntary recruits in 2026 and roughly 40,000 by 2030, and the law foresees a Bundestag debate on reintroducing conscription if volunteer numbers fall short.
- Conscientious objection remains available by written application decided by the BAFzA after medical fitness is established, and early interest indicators show applications up 8% nationwide and about 25% in Saxony.