AssetID: 55267786
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Germany Unveils New Military Service Plan to Boost Troop Numbers
Caption: Germany Unveils New Military Service Plan to Boost Troop Numbers. Germany’s coalition government has agreed on a new military service plan requiring all 18-year-old men to complete a questionnaire on service suitability, with mandatory medical screenings from 2027. The plan is part of Berlin’s push to build Europe’s strongest conventional army, a goal Rheinmetall’s CEO says could be reached within five years. Parliament is expected to vote on the proposal by late 2025; conscription could return if recruitment targets fall short. Starting next year, men and women will receive questionnaires—mandatory for men, voluntary for women. The Bundeswehr aims to expand from 182,000 troops to up to 260,000 within a decade, plus around 200,000 reservists. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius insists the move strengthens deterrence amid warnings from NATO officials of a potential Russian threat by 2029. Public opinion is divided: over half of Germans support compulsory service, but 63% of young adults (18–29) oppose it. Increased defence spending and rearmament have driven major growth for Rheinmetall, which supplies Germany and Ukraine as Berlin shifts to a “whatever it takes” defence stance. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,Germany,military service,Bundeswehr,conscription,Friedrich Merz,Boris Pistorius,Rheinmetall,NATO,Russia,defence spending
PersonInImage: