Employers are currently opposing plans by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) to make participation in Bundeswehr reserve exercises mandatory under a new “Reserve Strengthening Act”.
According to Rainer Dulger, president of the German Employers’ Association, the model of “dual voluntariness” has proven effective in balancing the interests of both the military and the economy, and he insisted that this system should be maintained.
Currently, involvement in these reserve exercises requires not only the former soldier’s consent but also the approval of the employer for time off. However, a legislative draft announced last week proposes that reserve service should become fundamentally mandatory in the future.
The German Employers’ Association (BDA) cautions against creating requirements that disproportionately favor the military over the business sector. Dulger stressed the importance of balancing the personnel needs of the Bundeswehr with the operational demands of companies, noting that Germany’s security also hinges on the strength of its economic base.
Companies specifically require “planning capabilities and legally secure transparency”. They need advance knowledge about which of their employees might be called up for reserve duty. In response, the BDA recommends implementing a duty for employers to provide this information to employees.
The objective of the new draft law is to build a reserve force of 200,000 people for the Bundeswehr-in addition to strengthening active troops-who can be deployed quickly during an emergency. The regulations governing reserve service will be completely overhauled. Individuals who previously served voluntarily in the military could potentially be called up for up to three weeks per year until the age of 45. Veterans who served longer in the military might be summoned for longer exercises until age 65.
