Overview
- The CDU/CSU–SPD coalition presented a draft plan after an emergency meeting, with final approval still required from the Bundestag.
- Starting January 1, 2026, all 18-year-olds will receive an online aptitude and interest survey; men must respond under penalty of a fine while women may respond voluntarily, followed by medical screening for potential recruits.
- Volunteers are offered about €2,600 gross per month, a subsidised driving licence, and vocational training in fields such as military technology, IT and drones.
- If recruiting falls short, Parliament could authorize compulsory service, potentially using a random lottery, with specific selection rules to be set later.
- The government aims to expand active forces to the mid‑200,000s and build roughly 200,000 reservists by 2035 after conscription was suspended in 2011.