Overview

• Following cabinet approval, the draft law for a new Wehrdienst keeps initial service voluntary and advances through the legislative process.
• Frei said medical and fitness examinations will become compulsory starting 1 July 2027, while any call‑ups would require additional parliamentary approval.
• The government seeks to expand the force to about 260,000 active personnel and build a 200,000‑strong reserve from roughly 180,000 troops today.
• Coalition tensions persist, with the SPD backing voluntariness and the Union favoring stronger compulsory safeguards; Frei acknowledged the Union would have inserted mandatory elements if it held an absolute majority.
• Frei downplayed the prospect of German recruits serving in Ukraine, as journalists warned the volunteer model is unlikely to yield the 30,000–40,000 annual recruits the Bundeswehr needs.