Questionnaires and medicals
Starting in the new year, questionnaires will be sent to young men and women turning 18 about their willingness and ability to serve, which men will be required to answer. That will be expanded into a requirement for young men to undergo medical examinations, though not to sign up for the military. The German military, the Bundeswehr, will need to build up the capacity to process some 300,000 men per year.
Desiree Becker, a lawmaker with the opposition Left Party, called on young people to “strike against the reintroduction of conscription” and inform themselves about conscientious objection.
Pistorius said demonstrations against the plan were welcome. But he insisted that more young people are “prepared to take responsibility” than some opponents say, and they are aware that “no one is forcing us to do anything, other than to fill out a questionnaire … and a medical that hurts no one.”
“This military service is voluntary and will remain so if everything goes as well as we expect,” he said. “But yes … if it isn’t enough, and if the threat situation continues to develop the same way or worse, we won’t be able to avoid a partial compulsory service to protect this country.”
Ten European Union countries have compulsory military service: Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden.
