Overview

• The Merz cabinet approved the new Wehrdienstgesetz, moving it to the Bundestag for passage later in 2025.
• From January 2026, the 2008 birth cohort will receive letters with a QR code to an online questionnaire, which men must complete while women can participate voluntarily.
• Those who signal willingness will be assessed for suitability, and from July 2027 all registered men must attend a compulsory Musterung.
• Service will run six to 23 months with pay of more than €2,000 net per month plus benefits such as driver’s license subsidies and training opportunities.
• If volunteer numbers fall short, the Bundestag can impose compulsory call-ups by simple majority, with the right to conscientious objection preserved as the Bundeswehr targets 260,000 active troops and 200,000 reservists by 2030 from about 181,000 today.