Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Germany Reaches Deal on Military Service Overhaul With Mandatory Registration and Exams

Any move to conscription would follow a separate Bundestag vote.

Overview

  • All 18-year-olds will be registered for service, with mandatory medical exams for men starting with those born in 2008.
  • The plan establishes a needs-based duty that can be activated only by parliament, with a lottery considered only as a last resort.
  • Incentives to boost voluntary enlistment include €2,600 in monthly pay, subsidies for a car or truck driving license, and a new status for long‑serving volunteers.
  • The proposal legally anchors growth targets of 255,000–270,000 active soldiers and around 200,000 reservists, up from roughly 182,000 troops today.
  • The draft law is slated for introduction by year‑end, with a partial revival of national service training roughly 3,000–5,000 people annually and voluntary pathways open to women.