April 26, 2026
Bavarian State Premier Markus Söder has criticised the federal government’s plan to expand the Bundeswehr and argued that only a return to mandatory military service will meet Germany’s security needs. Söder told Bild that relying solely on volunteers will not produce the troop numbers required if Germany is to field “the biggest army in Europe,” and he said conscription should be reintroduced as soon as possible.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has proposed raising the number of active soldiers from about 70,000 to 200,000. The governing coalition, however, failed to agree on immediately reinstating compulsory service, which was suspended in 2011 under then-Chancellor Angela Merkel. Instead, the package approved by ministers allows for expanded voluntary military service and includes plans to send questionnaires to all 18-year-olds; young men are required to complete and return the form.
The government has said the voluntary measures are the first step, but it has also warned that if enlistment falls short of targets, compulsory military service could still be introduced. Söder’s comments underscore continuing debate within Germany over how to boost recruitment and ensure the armed forces have sufficient personnel to meet new defence ambitions.