Overview

• The cabinet signed off on Defence Minister Boris Pistorius’s Wehrdienst plan on August 27, establishing a voluntary-first model with a legal fallback to conscription if recruitment falls short.
• All 18-year-old men will be required to fill out an online questionnaire from January 2026, while women may participate voluntarily, and refusal to complete the questionnaire can draw a fine, according to Merkur.
• Medical screening will begin on a voluntary basis, with outlets differing on when it becomes mandatory, reporting either July 2027 (BILD) or January 2028 (Merkur).
• The government targets a rise in active personnel to about 260,000 and a medium-term total of roughly 460,000 including reservists, with projections of 20,000 new soldiers in 2026 and 38,000 by 2030.
• Recruitment measures include advertising and career-fair outreach, and the Federal Employment Agency says it is posting roles but not directly placing candidates into Bundeswehr jobs.