Germany mulls reintroduction of compulsory military service – DW – 12/29/2023
www.dw.com
The Bundeswehr is facing a dramatic shortage in personnel. Now Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has rekindled the debate over reintroducing conscription.

At the end of October, the Bundeswehr said it counted 181,383 soldiers in its ranks — that’s still some distance from the target of 203,000 that the German military hopes to reach by 2025. This has given rise to concern in times of Russia’s war against Ukraine, which has once again reminded Germans how quickly conflicts can erupt in Europe.

Since taking office at the beginning of 2023, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has been thinking about ways to make the Bundeswehr more attractive as a career. He said he has received 65 concrete proposals from his ministry on recruitment and reforming training methods.

    • avater@lemmy.worldEnglish
      193·
      11 months ago

      Si vis pacem para bellum

      it’s not that we want this but with dipshits like Russia at our borders there is no other way then ramping up those numbers and prepare for the worst.

      Also it was very easy to opt out of it. I think I was one of the last who got drafted in 2007 and all of my friends avoided it by simply writing a letter and explaining that they have doubts using weapons.

      • qyron@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        3·
        11 months ago

        In a dire situation, I have serious doubts common would not volunteer or simply take up arms to defend those dear to them.

        But we are not speaking about defending family, friends and home here: this is war preparation. And the overall general feeling is that war is undesirable.