Overview

• After the cabinet’s August 27 approval, the recruitment draft sets a volunteer‑first path with Bundeswehr letters to all 18‑year‑olds from 2026 and mandatory musterings for certain male cohorts starting July 2027.
• Incentives are expanded as pay for Wehrdienstleistende is aligned with time‑soldier rates, with an 18‑year‑old rifleman moving to €2,706.99 gross and about €2,320.86 net per month in the example provided.
• The buildup targets at least 260,000 active troops from roughly 182,000 today and a large reserve of about 200,000 to meet NATO readiness goals.
• Merz said a mechanism to reinstate conscription could be used if voluntary numbers fall short, including the option of drafting women, though this would require overcoming constitutional barriers and a Bundestag decision.
• CDU figures press for an automatic trigger and broader reform, the ifo Institute warns of major macroeconomic costs from compulsory service scenarios, and new polling shows skepticism that the volunteer model will deliver enough recruits.