German Armed Forces - SPD parliamentary group leader Mützenich against return to compulsory military service
The SPD parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, Rolf Mützenich, does not think much of a return to compulsory military service. "At this point in time, we should primarily be working on making the Bundeswehr more attractive. It needs to be better equipped, barracks need to be repaired. That's what we should concentrate on," he told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) told "Welt am Sonntag" that he was examining models of compulsory service in view of the shortage of personnel in the troops, citing the Swedish conscription model. "There, all young men and women are conscripted and only a selected number of them end up doing their basic military service. Whether something like this would also be conceivable here is part of these considerations," said the SPD politician. However, he pointed out that a political majority would be required, regardless of the model.
SPD leader Saskia Esken had also rejected the minister's thoughts on reactivating compulsory military service. She told the German Press Agency: "I believe that the Bundeswehr is now well positioned as a professional army and must be developed further." The FDP had also rejected the defense minister's ideas.
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Source: www.stern.de
