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29m ago

Germany Opens Expert Hearing on Wehrdienst Overhaul as Coalition Eyes Deal This Week

The reform seeks to lift troop levels for alliance commitments and requires a clear fallback if volunteers prove insufficient by the planned January start.

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Auf einer Bundeswehruniform ist eine deutsche Flagge aufgenäht.
Mehrere Sachverständige haben den Gesetzentwurf zum neuen Wehrdienst als unzureichend kritisiert und mehr Anstrengungen zum Erreichen der Verteidigungsfähigkeit des Landes gefordert. Junge Menschen fühlen sich zugleich nicht ausreichend einbezogen.

Overview

  • Parliament’s defence committee is holding a public, livestreamed hearing with Generalinspekteur Carsten Breuer, Bundeswehr Association head André Wüstner, historian Sönke Neitzel and student leader Quentin Gärtner.
  • Committee chair Thomas Röwekamp of the CDU said he expects the governing parties to settle the remaining points this week after narrowing differences to details.
  • The unresolved issue is the contingency for shortfalls in volunteers, with a lottery under discussion but rejected by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.
  • Other backstop ideas include a nationwide medical screening and a needs-based selection of particularly qualified and motivated candidates as suggested by Breuer.
  • The draft law was introduced in mid-October, has had a first reading, targets entry into force on January 1, and coalition leaders are due to confer again on Thursday.