Overview

• According to multiple reports, CDU/CSU and SPD negotiators have outlined a compromise under which a lottery would decide who is summoned for medical screening from those who complete a mandatory questionnaire.
• If volunteer numbers prove insufficient, those selected by lot could be required to serve for at least six months, reflecting Denmark’s model where only a fraction of a cohort is ultimately called up.
• The timetable under discussion foresees internal faction meetings on Tuesday, a public briefing on Wednesday and a first Bundestag reading on Thursday, with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius expected to specify numeric triggers.
• SPD floor leader Matthias Miersch says the priority remains a voluntary pathway with no automatic switch to compulsory service, even as targets and a possible lottery mechanism are defined.
• Legal and fairness concerns are mounting over selective conscription within a cohort, with critics warning of potential constitutional challenges; the draft keeps women’s participation voluntary and anticipates broader musterings from mid‑2027.