Germany’s plan to reintroduce partial conscription collapsed on Tuesday evening after Defence Minister Boris Pistorius raised objections. His stance disrupted a previously reached compromise among the governing coalition parties, which had hoped to bring the Defence Service Modernisation Act before the Bundestag this week. The timing of its debate now remains uncertain.
Germany’s plan to revive a form of conscription fell apart on Tuesday evening after Defence Minister Boris Pistorius at the last minute voiced objections, breaking an agreement between the governing coalition parties, according to several people familiar with the matter.
Lawmakers from the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats had spent the past week negotiating a compromise to revive military service under the Defence Service Modernisation Act—a flagship initiative of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government aimed at rebuilding the Bundeswehr’s depleted ranks.
However, several parliamentary officials said the deal was halted after Pistorius raised concerns over certain provisions of the draft during a meeting of the Social Democratic parliamentary group on Tuesday evening.
The development marked an unexpected turn for the coalition, which had planned to introduce the bill for debate in the Bundestag this week. It is now unclear when—and in what form—the proposal might be revived.
The draft law included measures to strengthen recruitment without returning to full conscription, which Germany suspended in 2011. Under the preliminary agreement, every 18-year-old man would receive a mandatory questionnaire assessing his health and willingness to serve.
If voluntary enlistment failed to meet recruitment targets, a lottery would determine who must undergo a medical examination. In the event of a continued personnel shortage, a second lottery would select those required to perform six months of military service.
According to the RND news portal, the proposal was intended as a compromise between the coalition partners: the Social Democrats, who advocate a fully voluntary model, and the Christian Democrats, who insist on retaining a legal mechanism for compulsory service if voluntary enlistment falls short.
The plan had already faced opposition in parliament. Niklas Wagener, the Green Party’s defence spokesperson, called it a “half-baked compromise” that blurs the line between voluntary and mandatory service.
“The government can’t seem to decide whether it wants voluntary service or an obligation,” he said, adding that the proposed lottery “essentially brings back conscription through the back door.”
For now, the fate of the bill remains uncertain. Coalition representatives say talks will likely continue, but no clear timetable has been set. The Defence Ministry had hoped to begin implementation as early as January, increasing the army’s size by roughly 5,000 soldiers per year to reach 260,000 by 2030.