A provision in Germany’s new Military Service Act that took effect on January 1 appeared to require men aged 17 to 45 to notify the Bundeswehr before trips abroad longer than three months. The rule went largely unnoticed at first and was not publicly explained by the Defense Ministry. When the Frankfurter Rundschau reported it, widespread confusion and criticism followed: how would approval be obtained and would there be penalties for non-compliance?
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius spent days clarifying the matter. He told the dpa news agency that “everyone is allowed to travel, whether they are 17, 45, or anywhere in between, and permission is not currently required,” and said an administrative regulation would be issued to remove doubt. He added the approval requirement was created to prepare for emergencies, and that it would be suspended while military service remains voluntary to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy.
The parliamentary opposition sharply criticized the provision and the way it was introduced, calling the Military Service Act poorly drafted and arguing that a prior-notification requirement would be a serious infringement on personal autonomy. Green Party parliamentary leader Britta Haßelmann said the regulation was ill-conceived and risked undermining public support for the law. The Left Party’s Desiree Becker called the move incompetent and politically tone-deaf. The far-right AfD mocked the “chaos over men’s foreign travel.”
Legal expert Frank Bräutigam said reinstating mandatory authorization for travel without conscription would represent a major encroachment on fundamental rights, and described the ministry’s step back as a legal necessity rather than mere concession.
The new rule stems from Germany’s partial return to military service and the systematic collection of data on men of military age. Germany had conscription, with a civilian alternative, until 2011 and then stopped collecting those records. Under the Military Service Act, all young men born in 2008 or later must now appear for a Bundeswehr physical examination, and the Defense Ministry will store the resulting data. Requiring notification before extended foreign stays was part of that framework. Because conscription under the Basic Law applies only to men, only their data is being collected; women can still enlist voluntarily.
The reform aims to recruit more personnel. New recruits now receive higher pay, and those committing to at least 12 months can get help with costs such as a driver’s license. All 18-year-old men must also complete a questionnaire indicating whether they are interested in service. As of mid-March, more than 13,000 people were serving voluntarily or as “short-term conscripts” (up to 23 months), a 15% increase from the year before. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has ordered an assessment by 2027 to decide whether volunteer numbers are sufficient; if not, mandatory service could be discussed.
Meanwhile, applications for conscientious objection are rising and reached their highest level since conscription was suspended in 2011. This article was translated from German.