Overview

• The CDU/CSU moved to remove next week’s first reading of the Wehrdienst‑Modernisierungsgesetz from the Bundestag agenda, with both sides now signaling a one‑week delay.
• Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called the maneuver “reckless,” arguing objections should be handled through amendments and expert hearings during the normal parliamentary process.
• Union leaders label the draft “half‑baked” and demand a defined growth path for troop numbers plus clear, quantifiable triggers to activate mandatory service if recruitment falls short.
• CSU chief Markus Söder dismissed the voluntary model as a “wishy‑washy” approach and urged a swift return to conscription, while Wehrbeauftragter Henning Otte questioned that a volunteer system can meet personnel needs.
• The bill would reintroduce a registry and muster for young men and seek tens of thousands of recruits annually on a voluntary basis without an automatic trigger for compulsory service, as the Bundeswehr targets roughly 260,000 active troops and expands infrastructure, with private housing offers like Vonovia’s under consideration.