Overview

• Generalinspekteur Carsten Breuer said voluntary-service decisions are up 15 percent year over year, calling it a clear step forward.
• The cabinet-backed draft law for a reformed service is slated to take effect on 1 January 2026 if the Bundestag approves.
• Recruitment stands at nearly 13,000 by August toward a 2025 goal of 15,000, with targets of 30,000 annually by 2029 and 110,000 trained overall.
• The Bundeswehr has about 20,000 training slots today and is assessing whether to add reservists as instructors while expanding capacity.
• Breuer warned that commanders cannot both conduct basic training and prepare for combat on NATO’s eastern flank, and the CDU/CSU questions whether the voluntary model will deliver enough personnel.