Germany considers bringing back compulsory military service

Germany is considering reinstating compulsory military service as part of “landmark” reforms aimed at better equipping its armed forces in the event of further Russian aggression on the continent.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the country, which has one of NATO’s largest militaries, should be prepared “in the event of war,” as he outlined plans to overhaul the long-neglected military, per Semafor.

It reflects Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s declaration that Germany is at a “Zeitenwende,” or a turning point, following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and must reconsider its defence strategy.

The defence minister’s reforms will also create a military division focused on cyber warfare on the same level as the Navy, Air Force, and Army. This move shows that “there is no war … where digital command and control capability does not play a central role,” Pistorius said.

Making the military war-ready reflects a change from the current setup in which Germany’s troops are “poorly prepared” for defence because they mostly focus on foreign missions, including “the fight against terrorists and pirates [and] the protection of international aid workers in crisis areas,” Die Zeit’s security policy correspondent wrote.

Many NATO states began shifting their defence strategies after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, but Germany — whose aggression during World War II left it wary of projecting military power — has taken much longer to usher in changes.