Bundeswehr: According to Boris Pistorius, personnel requirements can probably be met without compulsory military service

Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has expressed confidence that the Bundeswehr will be able to cover its personnel needs in the future without returning to compulsory military service.

The measures anchored in the new Military Service Modernization Act were effective; the Bundeswehr currently has around 190,000 soldiers, its highest level in 13 years, Pistorius told the newspapers of the Funke media group (Saturday editions).

"If the course continues, we won't have any problems with growing up." Then there should be "no discussion about compulsory military service, however designed."

The possible reinstatement of compulsory military service had sparked protests.

Pistorius was lenient about the demonstrations by young adults.

He has a lot of sympathy for young people who have never had to deal with these questions before and who are now worried about what might happen to them.

"But when people say at the demonstrations that we don't want to go to the front and die in the war, then I can only say: We want exactly the same thing." That's precisely why we need strong armed forces "that can act as a deterrent so that we don't end up in the situation of having to fight anywhere at all."

The minister announced new efforts to attract more women to serve in the Bundeswehr: In terms of numbers, the armed forces are a "boy's shop" and that will not change any time soon.

»But we want to have more women in the Bundeswehr. It is particularly strong when it covers the breadth of our society. There is currently a positive development in applications and hiring of women.

However, the numbers are not yet satisfactory.

Regarding the recent increase in the number of violations of sexual self-determination in the Bundeswehr, Pistorius said: "We are doing everything we can to ensure that such incidents as we have unfortunately had recently are prevented as far as possible through good prevention."

If such cases occur, they would be “punished decisively and uncompromisingly.”

Around 460 suspected cases last year did not seem to be many at first glance, given the size of the Bundeswehr, said Pistorius.

But they caused great damage to those affected and brought the Bundeswehr into disrepute.

Pistorius announced that he would present the results of a dark field study on this topic next week.

»We were aware that the results could also be very unpleasant. It was all the more important for us to do it anyway and make the results transparent.«