Overview

• Cabinet cleared a draft law that keeps service voluntary while requiring 18-year-old men to complete a questionnaire starting Jan. 1, 2026, with responses optional for women.
• From July 1, 2027, all 18-year-old men must undergo a medical examination; any return to conscription would still require a Bundestag vote.
• The plan targets about 260,000 active troops and roughly 200,000 operational reservists by the early 2030s, up from around 182,000 soldiers and 49,000 reservists today.
• Incentives include a salary floor of at least €2,300 per month, free healthcare, accommodation and rail travel, plus training pathways over 6 to 23 months.
• The cabinet also backed creating a National Security Council and stronger cyber and sabotage protections, as conservatives press for an automatic trigger for conscription ahead of a first parliamentary reading expected Oct. 8–10, with officials warning of limits on barracks and training capacity.