Overview

• Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz said a future draft could include women if voluntary recruitment falls short, noting the Basic Law currently bars conscripting women.
• The cabinet’s draft law centers on a voluntary six‑month service with data collection and mustering for men: letters go to all 18‑year‑olds from 2026, and compulsory medical screenings for men born in 2008 or later start in July 2027.
• Pay for Wehrdienstleistende is set to rise to the level of Zeitsoldaten, with a typical 18‑year‑old rifleman moving to about €2,706.99 gross and roughly €2,320.86 net per month.
• The Bundeswehr counts roughly 182,000–183,000 personnel, with a target of at least 260,000 active troops plus large reserves that many in the CDU/CSU doubt can be met through voluntarism alone.
• The draft includes no automatic trigger for full conscription; CDU/CSU figures urge one, while the government stresses that any mandatory call‑ups would require a separate Bundestag vote, a stance echoed by Kanzleramtschef Thorsten Frei, as polling shows widespread skepticism about hitting recruitment goals.