Germany plans to abolish "double volunteerism" for military reservists and mandate participation in training exercises to expand its reserve forces [1].
This shift represents a significant change in how the Bundeswehr maintains its readiness. By moving away from a purely voluntary system, the government aims to ensure the military can rapidly scale its personnel in response to security threats.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the goal is to expand the reserve to 200,000 people [2]. Currently, the total number of reservists is approximately 60,000 [3], with about 40,000 of those participating in regular exercises [4]. The current voluntary framework has proven insufficient to reach the government's target capacity [1].
Under the proposed changes, reservists may be obligated to attend military exercises [5]. Some reports indicate the new legislative approach would remove existing rights to object, and extend service obligations until retirement age [6]. This would require private employers to release reservists for their duties [5].
Demographic challenges also complicate the expansion. Approximately one-third of current reservists are over the age of 50 [4]. The ministry said that mandatory training is the only viable path to bridge the gap between the current force and the 200,000-person target [2].
These announcements come shortly before next week's NATO summit, as Germany seeks to demonstrate a more robust commitment to collective defense [1].
“The government aims to ensure the military can rapidly scale its personnel in response to security threats.”
The move toward mandatory reserve service signals a pivot in German defense policy toward a 'total defense' model. By increasing the pool of active, trained reservists from 40,000 to 200,000, Germany is attempting to address structural personnel shortages and align its military readiness with the expectations of its NATO allies in an increasingly volatile security environment.
