Germany is considering a return to military service

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced Germany to reconsider its defense spending priorities. Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Germany is looking at ways to reintroduce conscription after the country's defense minister said abolishing it was a “mistake.”

The Defense Ministry in Berlin is evaluating models for returning military personnel service as it struggles to attract new recruits at a time. as he seeks to increase troop numbers.

Defence Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed on Saturday that he was “looking at all options.”

“I am looking at alternative models, such as the Swedish model, where everyone young men and women are conscripted into military service, and only a select few end up completing basic military service,” he told newspaper Die Welt.

Boris Pistorius, Germany's defense minister, is “looking for alternative models” of conscription Photo: RONNIE HARTMANN/AFP/Getty Images

Sweden reintroduced conscription in 2017 in response to the increased military threat from Russia.

< p>About 4,000 young men and women are drafted and called up for military service each year. draft dodgers were jailed.

“Whether something similar is possible here is part of our discussions,” Mr. Pistorius said.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced Germany to reconsider its defense spending priorities, which had been largely ignored since the end of the Cold War.

Mr Pistorius has been given the difficult task of reforming a military that is plagued by an ineffective bureaucracy and outdated weapons.

Olaf Scholz, German Chancellor (right), opposes the resumption of conscription. Photo: KAY NITFELD/POOL/AFP/Getty Images

As part of its modernization, Berlin has set itself the goal of increasing its military strength from 180,000 today to more than 200,000 by 2031.

Germany stopped conscription, which previously applied to all male school graduates, back in 2011. The government of the time argued it had become too expensive.

Mr Pistorius, president of the Social Democrats, said the decision was a “mistake in hindsight” but he admitted that too few German MPs agreed with him, which means it will be difficult for him to return to his old form.

And the debate over whether conscription should be reintroduced has been simmering in Germany for several years.

“Bad idea”

The opposition Christian Democrats, a center-right party, have proposed a compulsory year of service that could also include social work.

In February, Chancellor Olaf Scholz made clear his opposition to reinstating conscription, calling this is a “bad idea.”