Nigeria TV Info

Germany Approves New Voluntary Military Service Scheme Amid Rising Security Concerns

Government Plans Future Option for Mandatory Service as Students Across 90 Cities Announce Nationwide Strike

Keywords: Germany, Bundestag, voluntary military service, defence reform, Friedrich Merz, Russia-Ukraine war, national security, compulsory service, student protests, Europe defence policy, Nigeria TV Info

Germany’s federal parliament, the Bundestag, has approved a landmark defence reform introducing a revamped voluntary military service scheme designed to strengthen the country’s armed forces in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The move signals one of the most significant shifts in German defence policy in decades and aligns with Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s stated ambition to build Europe’s strongest conventional army amid changing global security dynamics.

Questionnaire for 18-Year-Olds Begins January 2026

Under the newly approved system, starting January 2026, all 18-year-olds in Germany will receive a military service questionnaire.

Mandatory for men

Voluntary for women

Young people will be asked if they are willing to serve in the Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces.

Although the government insists the programme is voluntary for now, the legal framework allows future compulsory enlistment if national security worsens or if volunteer numbers fall short of defence requirements.