Overview
- All men turning 18 will be mustered, preceded in 2026 by a questionnaire sent to all 18-year-olds that men must answer and women may complete voluntarily.
- The law is slated to take effect on January 1, 2026, with nationwide muster ramping up to full coverage from mid-2027 as capacity is built.
- A Bedarfswehrpflicht could be enacted by the Bundestag if volunteer numbers fall short, with no automatic trigger and a lottery used only as a last resort when eligible candidates exceed demand.
- Volunteer service remains the default model, paying about €2,600 gross per month, offering driver’s license subsidies from a one-year commitment, and granting SAZ 1 status only from 12 months of service.
- The agreement sets a binding growth path toward roughly 260,000 active troops and about 200,000 reservists, with semiannual reporting to Parliament on progress.