Pistorius Is Pushing For The Return Of Conscription To The German Army

• 19.10.2025, 12:58

Moscow will notice.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius believes that the resumption of military conscription could be a "deterrence signal" for Russia.

This is reported by Spiegel.

The coalition in Germany continues to discuss the reform of military duty. Pistorius, on the other hand, notes that a return to universal conscription of men of a certain age could send a strong signal to Moscow.

"If we have another military draft of all men of a certain age and collect the data of all those who are fit for military service, this will also be noticed in Russia. In other words - it is also a deterrent," the politician said.

The minister said that in the event of a defense state that Germany seeks to avoid, the conscription, which was suspended in 2011, could be immediately reinstated in accordance with the Basic Law.

"Then we need to know who is ready for deployment and who is not," Pistorius emphasized.

He also admitted that the abolition of district military commissariats after the suspension of conscription was a serious mistake.

"We are now building new, modern structures. We will be ready by the middle of 2027. Then we will be able to conduct a nationwide conscription again," he added.

Pistorius emphasized that Parliament must decide whether to introduce a lottery system to select conscripts.

"We, as a ministry, will of course also be involved in this. It is important that the system remains voluntary for as long as possible," the minister said.

He also expressed hope that the military service law would enter into force as early as early 2026 and assured that agreements with parliamentary groups would be reached.

"I am confident that we can make it happen. Everyone in the Bundestag knows: this is about Germany's security," Pistorius concluded.