Germany might bring back mandatory military service if its updated volunteer system doesn’t hit recruitment targets, the defense minister stated in remarks published on Saturday.

During an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Boris Pistorius detailed plans for Germany’s new military service model, which seeks to strengthen the army. Initially, the program will depend on voluntary enlistment, but Pistorius cautioned that this approach could be altered.

“If we reach a point where our available capacity surpasses the number of voluntary registrations, a decision to mandate recruitment may be necessary. That is our plan,” he mentioned.

Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius speaks with the media as he arrives for a meeting of EU defense ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Tuesday, May 20, 2025.  (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

He said the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz is moving quickly on a new military service bill and hopes it will come into force as early as January 2026.

The debate over reinstating conscription in Germany has been intensifying as concerns rise about national defense readiness and evolving security threats in Europe.

Germany suspended its draft in 2011, but has struggled to meet troop targets as defense demands grow following Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Pistorius also said the military service plan would include efforts to reactivate more reservists.