Pistorius currently does not expect to return to compulsory military service

Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has expressed confidence that the Bundeswehr will be able to meet 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, the SPD politician told the newspapers of the Funke media group.

"If the course continues, we won't have any growth problems." Then there should be “no discussion about compulsory military service in whatever form it takes.”

Regarding the recent demonstrations by young adults, which were also directed against conscription, Pistorius said he had a lot of sympathy for the young people who had never had to deal with these issues and who were 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."

Pistorius: Attract more women to the Bundeswehr

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.

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 much as possible through good prevention." If such cases occur, they would be “punished decisively and uncompromisingly.”