Pistorius examines Swedish conscription model due to lack of personnel

Pistorius examines Swedish conscription model due to lack of personnel

"I am examining all options," Pistorius continued. In the end, of course, every model "also needs political majorities". In retrospect, the abolition of compulsory military service in Germany was a mistake, said Pistorius: "Simply reintroducing it now is structurally, constitutionally and politically difficult."

According to Pistorius, he wants to implement a package of measures to cover the Bundeswehr 's personnel requirements at the beginning of 2024. "It involves 65 very specific proposals for recruitment, recruitment, training and entry requirements," he said. "We will start implementing them at the beginning of the year."

Pistorius' ideas on compulsory service were met with rejection from his coalition partner, the FDP. "In order to increase personnel resources, we need modern personnel management and not a conscription debate," said the chairwoman of the defense committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), to the "Rheinische Post". The Bundeswehr is "miles away" from modern personnel management. For example, applications are either not answered or answered too slowly.

CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann does not believe that general compulsory military service based on the Swedish model is necessary. A "compulsory year of service", as demanded by the CDU, would also give the Bundeswehr "a boost in attractiveness", Linnemann told the Funke newspapers on Monday. This is because the social year could also be completed in the Bundeswehr. "That would be an important building block both for the future of the Bundeswehr and for social cohesion."

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1. Pistorius, the defense minister, is considering the Swedish conscription model due to a staff shortage within the federal armed forces in Germany.
2. The SPD supports Pistorius' exploration of alternative personnel solutions, including revisiting compulsory military service.
3. Women and men of all backgrounds could potentially be impacted by potential changes to the conscription model in Germany.
4. The FDP, a coalition partner, has expressed skepticism towards reintroducing compulsory military service, favoring modern personnel management instead.
5. Boris Pistorius, the defense minister, has outlined a package of 65 measures aimed at addressing the Bundeswehr's personnel needs by 2024.
6. Despite the complexity of reintroducing compulsory military service, some, like CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann, argue that a 'compulsory year of service' could help boost the Bundeswehr's attractiveness.
7. Sweden, known for its successful conscription model, may serve as a reference point for Germany as it grapples with its own staff shortage in the federal armed forces.

Source: www.stern.de