BERLIN, June 27 — Germany is struggling to recruit soldiers and will have to decide by July 2027 at the latest whether to reintroduce compulsory military service, a senior parliamentarian has told AFP.

Faced with a growing threat from Russia and an unpredictable United States, Berlin is looking to revamp its army and has committed to increase its troop strength to at least 260,000 soldiers—up from the current 185,000 -- by 2035.

The government in November introduced a new voluntary military service model, along with compulsory registration for 18-year-old men.

However, between January and May, the scheme resulted in only 530 new recruits—despite around 300,000 young people being contacted.

If Germany cannot reach its targets through the voluntary system, “we will have to return to conscription”, said conservative MP Thomas Roewekamp, chairman of the German parliament’s defence committee.

“We must take that decision by July 31 of next year,” he said.

‘Serious doubts’ 

“In the first half of next year... we will need to have a very fundamental discussion about whether we can achieve the very ambitious growth requirements for active forces and reservists on a voluntary basis,” Roewekamp said.

“I still have serious doubts that we can.”

Compulsory conscription would not apply to all men who turn 18 in any given year—estimated to be around 350,000.

Instead, the army would recruit as many new soldiers as it needs to fulfil its annual targets.

“My great concern is the growth in the number of career and contracted soldiers—because they are the ones who fly the fighter jets, navigate the ships, operate the tanks and man the Patriot air defence systems,” Roewekamp said.

Germany has seen several large demonstrations against compulsory military service in recent months.

Roewekamp said he could “understand that there is uncertainty on this issue”.

Since compulsory military service was suspended in 2011, “we have not discussed questions of war and peace and the need for defence with the younger generation at all”, he said.

“That is why I strongly advocate that we talk with this generation, not just about them,” he added, repeating a warning often cited by Berlin that Russia could be ready to attack a Nato country by 2029.

Rearming Europe 

According to Roewekamp, Russian President Vladimir Putin not only has Ukraine in his sights but liberal Western democracy as a whole.

Europe urgently needs to rearm independently of the United States, he said—partly because of Trump’s plans to reduce troops in Europe, but also because Washington is not able to reliably supply European armies in a context of repeated international crises.

Europe must therefore develop its own military capabilities, based on actual needs rather than on the interests of industrial players, he said—a nod to the doomed FCAS fighter jet project, which recently fell apart over rivalry between Dassault and Airbus.

“In the past—this I freely admit—joint armaments projects were often heavily shaped by national industrial interests, including in Germany,” Roewekamp said.

“But I believe that by now all those involved understand that national industrial interests are no longer the right answer.”

Roewekamp said he hoped a July 7-8 Nato summit in the Turkish capital Ankara will send a clear message to Putin, after a shift by Trump towards a tougher line against Moscow at a recent G7 summit in France.

“It is now absolutely crucial to once again express our determination to act together. Because I believe one of Putin’s war aims is also to attack the unity of the Nato defence alliance,” he said. — AFP