The Germans are eager to join the army, but they quickly leave. Lights and shadows of the Bundeswehr
2026-01-24 18:00
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2026-01-24 18:00
The German army has reached its highest strength in 12 years and currently has 184,200. soldiers in active service – German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told the dpa agency. As he emphasized, the Bundeswehr recorded the best recruitment result since the suspension of conscription in 2011.
According to data from the Ministry of Defense, by the end of 2025 by 18%. the number of people performing voluntary military service also increased. 12.2 thousand signed up for the Bundeswehr. volunteers against 10.3 thousand in 2024.
Record recruitment rates
In 2025, the German armed forces accepted over 25,000 into service. new soldiers, which – according to the ministry – means an increase of 23%. and is the best recruitment result since the suspension of compulsory military service in 2011.
However, the problem remains the high dropout rate, which is 25%.
We will continue to make every effort to convince the acquired soldiers to stay in the Bundeswehr, announced the ministry.
New qualification rules and an increase in the number of refusals
The German army has been trying to increase the number of personnel for years. Despite extensive information campaigns, the number of troops remained at a similar level for a long time or decreased. In 2024, the number of soldiers in active service decreased to approximately 181,100.
A new model of military service has been in force in Germany since January. It provides for compulsory military qualification for all young men and the possibility of introducing conscription by lot if the number of volunteers turns out to be insufficient. Young women can complete the questionnaire voluntarily.
At the same time, the number of conscientious objectors is increasing. Despite the suspension of compulsory military service, the right to refuse to perform it for reasons of conscience, as enshrined in the Basic Law, is still valid. In 2025, 3,867 such applications were submitted, an increase of 72%. more than a year earlier.
According to NATO's new goals, the German army is to number 260,000 by 2035. professional and contract soldiers and 200,000. reservists.
Significant increase in conscientious objection applications
The number of applications for conscientious objection to military service in Germany increased by 72% in 2025. compared to the previous year and amounted to 3,867 – reported the Federal Office for Family and Social Life (BAFzA). Only in December, when the Bundestag adopted a new collection model, 371 such applications were submitted.
The data was provided on Wednesday by the BAFzA spokeswoman in an interview with the southern German daily “Augsburger Allgemeine”.
The obligation to perform military service in Germany has been suspended since 2011, but the right to refuse to perform it for reasons of conscience, as enshrined in the Basic Law, is still in force. To take advantage of this opportunity, young Germans can submit a written application with justification to the Bundeswehr career center, from where it goes to BAFzA for a decision.
The Bundeswehr has been trying to increase the number of personnel for years. To this end, the Bundestag adopted a new model of military service in December, which entered into force on January 1. It provides for compulsory military qualification for all young men and the possibility of introducing conscription by lot if the number of volunteers turns out to be insufficient. Young women can complete the questionnaire voluntarily.
The Left was mainly opposed to the introduction of a new conscription model, encouraging young people to exercise their right to refuse to serve in the Bundeswehr.
According to the new regulations, the Ministry of Defense will inform the Bundestag every six months about the degree to which the Bundeswehr's numerical goals are being achieved. If they are not achieved or the security situation requires it, the Parliament will be able to decide to launch a partial random collection.
The personnel needs of the German army are very large. By 2035, the Bundeswehr is to number 260,000. professional and contract soldiers and 200,000. reservists. Currently, approximately 182,000 people serve in its ranks. soldiers and approximately 50 thousand reservists.
From Berlin Iwona Weidmann (PAP)
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