Germany Considers Systematic Conscription from 2027
Triggered by the War in Ukraine and Aiming to Strengthen National Defense
Surge in Conscientious Objectors... Dual Nationals Also Under Review
As the German government prepares to reinstate conscription, the number of conscientious objectors has surged recently. According to Yonhap News on November 18 (local time), citing the German daily Neue Osnabr?cker Zeitung (NOZ), "Federal government statistics show that as of the end of October this year, 3,034 applications for conscientious objection to military service have been filed nationwide." About half of these applicants had not yet served, while the remainder were either active-duty soldiers or reservists.
Last September, new recruits of the German Federal Armed Forces attended an oath-taking ceremony in front of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament in Dusseldorf, Germany. Photo by AP Yonhap News
According to Yonhap News, applications for conscientious objection in Germany have increased significantly due to the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the government's discussions on conscription. In 2021, there were only 201 cases, but this rose to 951 in 2022, the first year of the Ukraine war, and 1,079 in 2023. In 2024, the number more than doubled to 2,249. This year, the figure has already surpassed 3,000, and it is expected to reach the highest level since the abolition of conscription in 2011.
Germany switched to a volunteer military system in 2011. However, the Basic Law (Constitution) still contains provisions from the conscription era, such as mandatory military service for men aged 18 and over, the right to refuse service on grounds of belief or conscience, and alternative civilian service. Even after the abolition of conscription, the government continues to accept applications for conscientious objection based on these provisions.
Recently, after years of debate, German politicians agreed to amend the Military Service Act so that, starting in 2027, all men turning 18 will be required to undergo a physical examination each year. If there are not enough volunteers, the law will be revised to reinstate conscription. The Ministry of Defense aims to increase the number of active-duty soldiers from the current 183,000 to up to 270,000 by 2035.
Last year, about 20,300 people volunteered for military service, surpassing 20,000 new recruits for the first time in five years. However, considering the number of discharges and dropouts, even 20,000 new recruits per year are not enough to meet the target, making the return of conscription highly likely. If conscription is reinstated, it is expected that new recruits will be selected by lottery, but details such as how alternative civilian service will be handled have not yet been determined.
In particular, there is expected to be ongoing social debate over whether dual nationals should be included in the draft. According to the daily Bild, of the 340,859 males born in 2008 who will turn 18 in 2026, 16.6%-or 56,693-are dual nationals. Among them, 3,691 hold Russian citizenship in addition to German, making them the fourth largest group after those with Turkish, Polish, and Italian citizenship. Bild pointed out, "If dual nationals are drafted, issues of loyalty and military security could arise."
Regarding this, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense stated, "Those who volunteer for military service are screened for their loyalty to the Constitution before starting service," and added, "For those with multiple nationalities, the agency in charge of conscription will determine whether they pledge to uphold the free democratic basic order as set out in the Constitution."
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