Brendan Cole – NEWSWEEK Nov 14, 2025

German lawmakers have unveiled a new military service plan to boost troop numbers as Berlin seeks to create Europe’s strongest conventional army.

The country’s coalition government has proposed a plan that mandates all 18-year-old men to fill out a questionnaire on their suitability to serve.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had pledged in May to turn his country’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, into the strongest conventional army in Europe.

Newsweek has contacted the Bundeswehr for further comment.
Why It Matters

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has raised the alarm among Germany and its European partners about the risks the Kremlin poses to the Continent.

Leaders and analysts have warned that Moscow could attack another country by the end of the decade, and Germany’s push to boost its armed forces could reshape Europe’s traditional military-political dynamics.
What To Know

According to the German government’s new military service plan, beginning next year, all 18-year-old men must answer questions about whether they can serve. From 2027, they would have to undergo medical screening to assess their fitness.

The questionnaire would be mandatory for men and voluntary for women, and they would be taken into account if a war broke out.

The governing parties have said there will be no return to compulsory military service, and that enlistment would be voluntary, but there are concerns that this could change.

The Bundeswehr has about 182,000 troops, but under the plans, the government predicts the figure could rise to 260,000 over the next 10 years, backed by about 200,000 reservists.

By 2029, Germany is expected to spend 153 billion euros ($178 billion) a year on defense, or 3.5 percent of its gross domestic product—the most since reunification.

Lawmakers are expected to vote on the plan by the end of the year. Armin Papperger, the head of Germany’s biggest defense firm, Rheinmetall, told the BBC that by the end of the decade, the country could achieve its goal to create the strongest army in Europe.

What Happens Next

The draft bill is set to go before the German parliament in December, and it could be passed by the end of the year—although it is likely to face opposition from those on the political left who view it as a possible lurch toward mandatory military service.