Germany's Militarisation Ambitions Threatened with Withering Before Taking Root; Conscientious Objection to Military Service Surges

Germany is accelerating its military transformation on a large scale, marking the most significant change since the Cold War. Amid rising security tensions in Europe, Berlin is not only strengthening its defence budget but also beginning to reopen options for compulsory military service to meet the needs of its armed forces personnel. This step aligns with the latest military strategy launched by the German government in April 2026. In that document, Berlin maintains a minimum target of 260,000 active soldiers, with total strength reaching around 460,000 personnel including reserves. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius emphasised that this strengthening is not merely a technical adjustment but part of a broader strategic change. “Our ambition… to become the strongest conventional military power in Europe,” he stated during the strategy presentation in Berlin, as reported by Euronews. This statement marks a sharp shift in German defence policy, which for decades has tended to exercise restraint in military matters following World War II. At the same time, the government faces major challenges in recruiting personnel. The issue of compulsory military service reform has resurfaced, in line with the need to expand troop numbers. A new law effective from 1 January opens the way for a compulsory military service scheme for youth born in 2008 or later, with an initial volunteer-based approach. However, if targets are not met, the German parliament or Bundestag may activate a needs-based compulsory military service system. This dynamic has triggered diverse responses in society. The latest data shows a significant increase in applications for conscientious objection to military service on grounds of belief. In the first quarter of 2026, 2,656 people filed such applications, continuing the upward trend from 2,998 cases in 2024 and 3,867 cases in 2025, as reported by Der Spiegel. If this trend continues, the figure could become the highest since compulsory military service was suspended in 2011.