The Junge Union has set a deadline for the CDU to introduce compulsory military service. In a proposal submitted for the upcoming CDU party conference and reported by “Focus”, the party’s youth wing argues that conscription should begin in 2027 if the armed forces fail to hit their recruitment targets.
The proposal states that if the legally mandated growth of the armed forces cannot be achieved-whether partially or fully-by the voluntary recruitment model, the CDU will support reintroducing compulsory service starting 1 July 2027. If, by 1 January 2027, data show that the 2026 active military personnel count did not reach the 186,000‑190,000 range, compulsory service must commence from that July date. The JU wants the growth figures audited every year.
Citing the need for transparency, CDU MP Vivian Tauschwitz told “Focus”: “The yearly personnel review provides transparency, and it is urgently required. If voluntary enlistment falls short, compulsory service is simply the logical and necessary outcome”. MP Johannes Volkmann added that the party requires certainty in rebuilding its defence capabilities. He said recent weeks have highlighted the need to do more to protect ourselves as Europeans, and that vague intentions to reintroduce conscription are no longer acceptable.
