Germany is looking at how military service will work

The Bundestag's defence committee is discussing the future of military service today, reports Tagesschau. The MPs have invited experts from the military and the public sector to contribute to the finalisation of the draft law. The debate is intended to help overcome long-standing divisions between the coalition partners.

Among those invited are Bundeswehr Inspector General Carsten Breuer, head of the Bundeswehr Association André Wüstner, historian Sönke Neitzel and student representative Quentin Gärtner. The cabinet has already submitted the proposal to parliament, but several points remain controversial.

The law foresees voluntary entry into service and the goal of increasing the number of active soldiers from 182 thousand to 260 thousand. The government is also discussing how to select conscripts - one option is a lottery or an across-the-board medical check-up for young men.

After hearing experts, a coalition committee is due to meet on Thursday to finalise the proposal. The Military Service Act is due to come into force on 1 January 2026.

(sie)