More than 20% of German young men have become interested in military service following the Bundeswehr reform
In Germany, more than 20% of young men who will soon turn 18 have expressed a willingness or interest in performing military service following the introduction of a new system for assessing potential recruits.
According to the Bundeswehr, more than 298,000 questionnaires have been sent to young citizens since the beginning of 2026.
Among the young men for whom participation in the survey is mandatory, about 96% completed the questionnaires by the deadline.
More than one in five respondents expressed interest in serving in the military. Of these, about 1,500 have already undergone medical and other examinations, and approximately 530 future service members will begin their service in 2026.
The Bundeswehr also reported a 24% increase in the number of applications to join the military compared to the same period last year. In total, 38,500 applications were received this year, and the number of recruits increased by 13%—to about 11,000 people.
As a reminder, a new model of military service was introduced in Germany at the end of 2025. It involves sending special questionnaires to all citizens upon turning 18 to assess their fitness and motivation for service. Participation in the survey is mandatory for young men, while young women may participate voluntarily.
The goal of the reform is to strengthen the Bundeswehr’s personnel capacity and ensure the country’s long-term defense capability.
This was reported by Tagesschau.
As a reminder, the lower house of the German parliament approved the military service reform following lengthy and tense discussions within the ruling coalition.
Meanwhile, Swiss voters decisively rejected two high-profile initiatives in a nationwide referendum.
