Overview

• The government finalized a volunteer service scheme in May to start in January 2026 with conscription set as a fallback if uptake proves insufficient.
• Henning Otte officially succeeded Eva Högl on June 5 as Wehrbeauftragter to oversee the Bundeswehr and advocate for soldiers.
• In his inaugural address, Otte stressed that credible deterrence requires full societal support behind the Bundeswehr.
• He warned that the Bundeswehr has not expanded enough since Russia’s aggression and that aid to Ukraine has fallen short.
• Government reforms aim to tackle chronic personnel shortages and meet NATO commitments given heightened security threats from Russia.