Overview

• The cabinet’s proposal would require 18-year-old men to complete a service questionnaire starting next year, invite selected cohorts to an initial assessment, and make medical musterung compulsory for men from 1 July 2027, with women able but not obliged to respond.
• DFGVK says interest has jumped, citing 54,946 website visits in August versus 24,151 in May, and the EAK notes that inquiries already climbed by more than 30 percent last year.
• DFGVK has shifted its guidance and now urges young people—especially those born after 1 January 2010—to file conscientious‑objection applications in light of the planned musterung.
• Bundestag military ombudsman Henning Otte advocates a one‑year mandatory service for men and women across military and civilian roles and backs a constitutional change to enable it.
• CSU leader Markus Söder argues that if voluntary recruitment falls short, a compulsory service should be considered given Germany’s security responsibilities.