The German army has already sent 40,000 questionnaires to 18-year-olds with a view to conscription

It is still too early to draw conclusions from the responses, but according to Pistorius it is already clear that the policy is “making progress”. The minister remains confident that he will be able to recruit 20,000 new soldiers for military service by the end of the year. “We will have recruited more than 25,000 new soldiers by 2025. That is an increase of 23 percent compared to the previous year and the best recruitment result in 12 years, a real break from the trend,” he said optimistically.

The new conscription law, which came into effect on January 1, is a response to the threat posed by Russia as Germany lags behind its NATO recruitment targets. The program is intended to contribute to increasing the force from 180,000 to 260,000 troops, with an additional reserve force of 200,000 people.

According to Pistorius, the restructuring of the Bundeswehr is now in full swing, with investments in barracks, accommodation and training facilities. More than 40,000 accommodation places should be created within a few years, he said, and research is currently underway to see whether former barracks can be brought back into use.