Overview
- Partial reimbursement for driving-license costs and enhanced enlistment bonuses aim to make voluntary service more attractive.
- From 2028 all 18-year-old men will face mandatory health screenings and a compulsory service-willingness questionnaire with voluntary participation for women.
- Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will put the new draft Wehrdienst law before the cabinet by the end of August.
- The reform seeks to raise annual volunteer numbers by 3,000–5,000 starting in 2026, aiming for up to 40,000 recruits per year by 2031 to meet NATO targets.
- A fallback conscription mechanism remains on standby, requiring Bundestag approval if volunteer quotas fall short of alliance requirements.