German army faces decline in personnel despite increased recruitment efforts

For the second consecutive year, the number of personnel in Germany's Bundeswehr (Armed Forces) has fallen short of expectations, continuing a trend of stagnation in the country's military manpower. 

The German army has failed to reach its target of 203,000 servicemen set by the armed forces' development plan, Caliber.Az reports via the German media outlet DPA.

In June 2022, Chancellor Olaf Scholz introduced a fund worth 100 million euros aimed at financing the modernization of the Bundeswehr. Despite efforts to attract new recruits, including the enlistment of 20,300 individuals in 2024—an 8% increase from 2023—the overall number of military personnel continued to decrease. While 181,500 soldiers served at the end of 2023, that figure dropped slightly to 181,150 by the close of 2024.

A spokesperson for the German Ministry of Defense confirmed that, despite the rise in new recruits, the overall number of soldiers in the Bundeswehr has seen a slight reduction. The goal, however, remains to gradually increase the army's numbers.

The Bundeswehr's development plan, which was approved by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in the summer of 2024, envisions the annual recruitment of 15,000 new soldiers. This effort is expected to raise the German military's active-duty personnel to 203,000 and boost reserves to 34,000 by the end of the program. At present, just over 20,000 individuals serve in the reserves, including 1,700 women.

Should Scholz's military reforms prove successful, Germany could see its Bundeswehr become the largest standing army in Europe, securing its position as a key military player on the continent. However, achieving the desired strength will require overcoming ongoing recruitment and retention challenges.

By Khagan Isayev