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2w ago

SPD Divided as Youth Wing Opposes Backup Conscription Plan

The motion pits SPD’s youth organization against senior leaders as the party prepares for a Berlin conference decision on voluntary service with a built-in draft trigger.

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Verteidigungsminister Boris Pistorius (SPD) hält am geplanten Wehrdienstgesetz fest (Symbolbild).
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Overview

  • SPD youth wing Jusos will propose a motion at the Berlin party conference rejecting any reinstatement of mandatory military service in favor of purely voluntary enlistment.
  • Defense Minister Boris Pistorius maintains that the draft Wehrdienstgesetz will enshrine voluntary service first while allowing a fallback conscription only if volunteer numbers do not fill the Bundeswehr’s needs and subject to Bundestag approval.
  • Senior SPD figures including Lars Klingbeil support establishing legal and infrastructure prerequisites to mobilize conscription if required, deepening the divide with younger party members.
  • CDU/CSU leaders are urging a swift settlement on Germany’s recruitment framework ahead of the summer recess, citing a YouGov poll showing 54 percent public support for conscription.
  • The Bundeswehr currently fields about 180,000 soldiers but needs an additional 50,000 to 60,000 troops to meet NATO readiness targets, intensifying pressure on the new service model.