Germany’s Defense Minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, has announced plans to strengthen the country’s armed forces and enhance national security through new defense programs. The proposed programs aim to inform eligible 18-year-olds about the opportunities in military service and require recipients of the letter to respond to military authorities. Interested individuals will undergo medical examinations, and those with the highest qualifications will be selected for a 6-23 month period of military service. During a press conference, Kramp-Karrenbauer highlighted the changing level of expenditure for military equipment and the increasing threat posed by Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Currently, Germany’s defense budget supports around 181,000 active personnel out of a total of 203,000 allowed. This is a significant reduction from the more than 500,000 military personnel during the Cold War era. If approved, the new military service will still be voluntary and differ from the mandatory military service that was abolished in 2011. At that time, Germany did not have compulsory military or civilian service in place.