Bundeswehr boss in a live interview: conscription back on the agenda!

Bundeswehr boss in a live interview: conscription back on the agenda!

At a time when international tensions are increasing, the federal government's plans to strengthen the Bundeswehr are more in focus than ever. A clear reason for this is the aggressive foreign policy of Russia towards Ukraine and the associated claims of the United States to NATO to provide more support. On Monday, June 23, 2025, the "ZDF morning magazine" will send live from the Bundeswehr pioneering school in Ingolstadt. Moderator Andreas Wunn will talk to various guests about the future of German security and defense from 6 a.m., including Prime Minister Markus Söder and Inspector General Carsten Breuer, who will both give important insights into the Bundeswehr considerations. This reports ZDF .

A central aspect of the program will be the discussion about the possible revival of conscription. This was suspended in Germany in 2011 and is now up for debate in view of the changing security situation. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has already presented plans for the introduction of a new compulsory compulsory model. This model stipulates that young men should fill out a questionnaire for the military recording in order to raise the ability to defend that was discontinued over a decade ago. The minister also expects around 5,000 new soldiers annually, provided that there are enough young men to be sampled. The details can be found in ZDF today

New compulsory conscription model and political debate

In the political debate there are different positions. While Boris Pistorius pleads for a revival of compulsory military service, there are also skeptics within the traffic light coalition, especially from the SPD and the Greens. SPD boss Lars Klingbeil and the party leader Saskia Esken rely on voluntariness. This resistance is reinforced by the concerns about military justice and the number of defensive men that are available in order to achieve the desired troops. The current need exceeds the target size of 203,300 soldiers, since only 181,500 active soldiers are currently available in the Bundeswehr, as the Tagesschau reports.

The discussion about military service is accompanied by the planning of a billion -in package to upgrade and reform the Bundeswehr. The coalition agreement between the CDU, CSU and SPD emphasizes the need to ensure the security situation itself, and refers to the upcoming NATO summit in June 2025, which could possibly give new requirements for defense spending. These reforms could also significantly improve the conditions for soldiers and represent the Bundeswehr as an attractive employer. This is confirmed by Thomas Hirsch, Managing Director of Hirsch Engineering Solutions, who describes the changeover of his company to the armaments industry.

student discussion and outlook

Another exciting part of the live broadcast will be the discussion among pupils who will present their view of a possible revival of military service. It is important to include the opinion of the young generation in such important questions, since they are ultimately the future soldiers and citizens. The focus is also on the challenges that the Bundeswehr has currently, especially with regard to personnel acquisition and the need for efficient procurement processes to improve the equipment of the troops.

The questions about the future of the Bundeswehr and the compulsory military service are of great importance and will certainly continue to employ both political actors and the population - especially in the context of ongoing turbulent geopolitical developments.