06\/27\/2025June 27, 2025Pistorius defends plans for military draft \u2014 but only if needed<\/p>\n
Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius<\/a> has defended calls for a legal mechanism to allow military conscription<\/a>\u00a0while insisting that voluntary service remains the current priority.<\/p>\n Speaking to the DPA news agency ahead of a national conference of his Social Democratic Party (SPD), Pistorius emphasized that his position differs from that of the conservative CDU\/CSU bloc, which governs in coalition with the SPD. The conservatives are\u00a0pressing for a swift return to mandatory military service.<\/p>\n The minister argued that drafting soldiers is not currently feasible due to insufficient barracks and training facilities, despite increased infrastructure investment in recent years.<\/p>\n For the time being, he said, the number of volunteers is sufficient.<\/p>\n However, Pistorius rejected outright opposition to a draft. “I also oppose the voices that believe we must exclude any form of obligation,” he said.<\/p>\n