DefenseGermany
Military Service Modernisation Act (« new military service »)
Fifteen years after compulsory call-up was suspended in 2011, the act of 22 December 2025, in force since 1 January 2026, brings back military registration: men born from 2008 must fill in a questionnaire and are again subject to a medical examination (« Musterung »), while service itself stays voluntary. It writes into law a growth path to 460,000 soldiers by 2035 (up to 260,000 active, at least 200,000 reservists); if it is not met, only a new act of the Bundestag can order a needs-based conscription.
Updated: November 5, 2026Next milestone: January 2027 — First half-yearly report of the Defence Ministry to the Bundestag on the growth of personnel and of the reserve
At a glance
Reference text
Gesetz zur Modernisierung des Wehrdienstes (Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz – WDModG) vom 22. Dezember 2025 (Act to Modernise Military Service)[1]
No. BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 370 · December 22, 2025
Read the text ↗Carried by
- Boris Pistorius[6][1]Federal Minister of Defence (SPD), Merz government — bill adopted by the cabinet on 27 August 2025 · 2025 · Initiator
- CDU/CSU – SPD[7][6][3]Governing coalition in the Bundestag — amendments writing the growth path to 2035 into law and reserving any compulsory call-up to a new act · 2025 · Amendment
- Bundesamt für das Personalmanagement der Bundeswehr[1][11]Federal Office for Bundeswehr Personnel Management — sends the questionnaires and handles registration · 2026 · Implementation
Implementation
- Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg)
- Federal Office for Bundeswehr Personnel Management, Bundeswehr career centres and medical examination centres
- Bundestag — half-yearly reports on the growth path; any needs-based conscription requires a new act
Stated objective
Make the armed forces able to grow and hold out in national and collective defence — the government cites Russia as the greatest threat to European security for the foreseeable future — by recruiting more volunteers through a better-paid, more flexible service, building a strong reserve, and knowing again, through registration and examination, who would be available in an emergency.[4][6][7][1]
According to the federal government’s bill and the Federal Ministry of Defence
Total armed forces strength targeted (active + reservists)
460,000
by 2035 · according to section 91 of the Soldiers Act as amended by the act, « to meet NATO capability targets »[1]
Active soldiers (upper bound of the target)
260,000
by 2035 · according to section 91 of the Soldiers Act (« up to 260,000 »)[1]
The yearly corridor in the same article reads 255,000 to 270,000 active soldiers for 2035.
Reservists (minimum)
200,000
by 2035 · according to section 91 of the Soldiers Act[1]
Main measures
- Military registration restored outside a state of tension or defence: the Federal Office for Bundeswehr Personnel Management retrieves the data of men subject to conscription from the population registers.[1][2]
- Compulsory « declaration of willingness and ability » for men born after 31 December 2007: interest in serving, height and weight, disability, qualifications, self-assessed fitness, service in foreign armed forces. Women and people of other genders may answer voluntarily. Not replying after a formal reminder, or giving false or incomplete answers, is an administrative offence punishable by a fine — the ministry plans at most €250.[1][2][11]
- Medical examination (« Musterung ») again compulsory for men born from 2008: fitness for service is assessed by a thorough medical examination, which may be waived when the questionnaire already rules out any call-up.[1][2][6]
- Voluntary service made more attractive: 6 to 11 months as a volunteer, or fixed-term soldier status from 12 months; basic military pay set at €2,600 a month for the lowest rank; grant of up to €3,500 for a car licence or €5,000 for a truck licence after at least 12 months of service.[1][6]
- Growth path written into law: a yearly corridor of active soldiers and reservists from 2026 to 2035 (186,000-190,000 active and 70,000-80,000 reservists in 2026), with a half-yearly report to the Bundestag from 1 January 2027.[1]
- « Needs-based conscription »: the Bundestag decides by law to introduce it, in particular when the defence situation or the armed forces’ staffing require it; call-up then follows the forces’ needs, and if suitable men exceed them, a random selection may be provided once all other measures are exhausted — its design is left to a further act. The government bill had instead provided for an ordinance requiring the Bundestag’s consent.[1][4]
In data
2026-2035, active soldiers
| Year | Lower bound | Upper bound |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 186,000 | 190,000 |
| 2027 | 190,000 | 193,000 |
| 2028 | 193,000 | 198,000 |
| 2029 | 198,000 | 205,000 |
| 2030 | 204,000 | 212,000 |
| 2031 | 210,000 | 220,000 |
| 2032 | 218,000 | 230,000 |
| 2033 | 228,000 | 242,000 |
| 2034 | 240,000 | 256,000 |
| 2035 | 255,000 | 270,000 |
Scale starts at 0 · About 186,400 active soldiers were serving on 31 August 2026, according to the Defence Ministry. The armed forces’ numerical strength is still set each year by the budget.
2026-2035, reservists
| Year | Lower bound | Upper bound |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 70,000 | 80,000 |
| 2027 | 80,000 | 100,000 |
| 2028 | 100,000 | 120,000 |
| 2029 | 120,000 | 140,000 |
| 2030 | 140,000 | 160,000 |
| 2031 | 160,000 | 180,000 |
| 2032 | 180,000 | 200,000 |
| 2033 (At least 200,000 (no upper bound set)) | 200,000 | — |
| 2034 (At least 200,000 (no upper bound set)) | 200,000 | — |
| 2035 (At least 200,000 (no upper bound set)) | 200,000 | — |
Scale starts at 0
Armed forces at a glance
Value currently unavailable
Key figures
Active soldiers serving
186,400
31 August 2026 · Observed
according to the Federal Ministry of Defence (rounded)[13][1]
About 4,000 more than a year earlier, within the legal corridor of 186,000-190,000 for 2026.
Men who answered the questionnaire within the deadline (including the extension)
96%
by 31 August 2026 · Observed
according to the Federal Ministry of Defence (about 231,700 letters sent to men)[13]
About 3.5% of women and people of other genders, for whom answering is optional.
Volunteers and short-term fixed-term soldiers in the new military service
11,400
31 August 2026 · Observed
according to the Federal Ministry of Defence (rounded)[13]
Active military personnel
183K
2020
Defense spending
1.8% GDP
2024
Timeline
- Announced
Bill adopted by the federal cabinet[6]
- Under debate
First reading in the Bundestag (printed paper 21/1853), referred to the Defence Committee[4]
Bundestag passes the act by roll-call vote: 323 for, 272 against, 1 abstention[3]
The CDU/CSU and SPD coalition groups voted for; the AfD, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and Die Linke opposition groups voted against. The text adopted is the version recommended by the Defence Committee (printed paper 21/3076).
Act signed by the Federal President, published in the Federal Law Gazette on 29 December[1]
- Current step
Build-up of the examination network: 24 centres planned before the whole age group is examined[13][12]
Until then, the Bundeswehr first examines those who say they are interested. By 31 August 2026, according to the ministry, more than 451,400 questionnaires had been sent; about 96% of men and 3.5% of women and people of other genders had replied; about 3,400 interested people had gone through an assessment and 1,155 had been earmarked for a post (almost 1,000 of them in 2026).
Compulsory examinations begin for 18-year-old men who declared no interest[13]
Within spare capacity of the career centres; by 31 August 2026, almost 1,000 such examinations had been carried out, according to the ministry.
- Upcoming — the outcome is not known
First half-yearly report of the Defence Ministry to the Bundestag on the growth of personnel and of the reserve[1]
Required « half-yearly, starting from 1 January 2027 », broken down by status group and length of commitment (section 91a of the Soldiers Act).
The debate
Citoyen takes no position: arguments are reported as their authors put them.
According to its supporters
- Defence Minister Boris Pistorius argues that the threat requires the Bundeswehr to grow, in both active forces and reserve, and that attractive conditions will bring in enough volunteers; he adds that the state must know, in a defence emergency, who is available — hence registration and compulsory examination — and that a partial conscription would have to be discussed if the numbers are not reached.[7][8]
- For the CDU/CSU (Norbert Röttgen), the act answers the threat posed by Russia: the Bundeswehr needs not only equipment but more soldiers, and the act contains a growth plan « with concrete figures ». For the SPD (Siemtje Möller), the Bundestag keeps control and would decide separately on any needs-based conscription.[3]
- The German Armed Forces Association (DBwV) supports the automated data exchange with the population registers and calls compulsory examination of a whole age group « overdue and without a plausible alternative » — while warning that the act alone will not solve staffing, whose real challenge lies with longer-serving soldiers.[5]
According to its opponents
- Several experts heard by the Defence Committee — military historian Sönke Neitzel, DBwV chairman André Wüstner and retired Lieutenant General Joachim Wundrak — doubted that volunteers alone can reach the targeted strength, called the targets themselves « diffuse » or insufficient, and wanted a conscription mechanism (such as Swedish-style selective service) written into the act now.[4]
- Die Linke (Desiree Becker) rejects any return to conscription, including needs-based, and argues that compulsory questionnaires and examinations have nothing to do with voluntary service; its motion to delete conscription from the Basic Law was rejected.[3]
- Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (Sara Nanni), while having backed exempting defence spending from the debt brake, voted against: the act gives no answer to security needs that also include civil protection, its questionnaire asks nothing about civilian service, and only 18-year-old men must fill it in.[3]
- Youth representatives heard by the committee — the Federal Pupils’ Conference and the German Federal Youth Council — criticised that young people were not consulted when the bill was drafted and asked that they be informed equally about civilian voluntary services.[4]
Indicators to watch
- Active military personnel · Banque mondiale / IISSSee the card →
- Defence spending, % of GDP · SIPRI / Banque mondialeSee the card →
- Half-yearly report on the growth of personnel and of the reserve (from 2027) · BMVgno Citoyen card yet
- Questionnaire response rate and number of examinations · BMVgno Citoyen card yet
Sources
- [1]Gesetz zur Modernisierung des Wehrdienstes (Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz – WDModG) vom 22. Dezember 2025, BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 370 — Bundesgesetzblatt (Bundesministerium der Justiz und für Verbraucherschutz), December 29, 2025
- [2]Wehrpflichtgesetz (WPflG), konsolidierte Fassung, zuletzt geändert durch Art. 1 G v. 22.12.2025 I Nr. 370 — Bundesministerium der Justiz und für Verbraucherschutz — Gesetze im Internet
- [3]Namentliche Abstimmung: Gesetzentwurf zur Modernisierung des Wehrdienstes (Drucksachen 21/1853, 21/2581, 21/3076) — Deutscher Bundestag, December 5, 2025
- [4]Textarchiv: Geplantes neues Wehrdienstmodell erstmals beraten (16.10.2025) · Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz stößt auf Skepsis und Kritik (Anhörung, 10.11.2025) — Deutscher Bundestag, November 10, 2025
- [5]Ausschussdrucksache 21(12)236 — Stellungnahme des Sachverständigen Oberst André Wüstner, Deutscher BundeswehrVerband e.V., zur öffentlichen Anhörung zum Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz — Deutscher Bundestag, Verteidigungsausschuss, November 9, 2025
- [6]Neuer Wehrdienst (Themenseite, mit Fragen und Antworten) — Bundesministerium der Verteidigung
- [7]Bundestag stärkt personellen Aufwuchs und Durchhaltefähigkeit der Bundeswehr (Pressemitteilung) — Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, December 5, 2025
- [8]Stärkung der Verteidigungsbereitschaft: Bundestag beschließt Neuen Wehrdienst — Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, December 5, 2025
- [9]Bundesrat gibt grünes Licht für das Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz — Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, December 19, 2025
- [10]Neuer attraktiver Wehrdienst beschlossen — Die Bundesregierung
- [11]Rückläufer Fragebogen Neuer Wehrdienst (Pressemitteilung) — Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, May 8, 2026
- [12]Neuer Wehrdienst erfolgreich gestartet: Funktionierende Wehrerfassung (Pressemitteilung) — Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, June 24, 2026
- [13]Bundeswehr weiter auf gesetzlich festgelegtem Aufwuchspfad (Pressemitteilung, Stichtag 31. August 2026) — Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, September 18, 2026