Thorsten Frei, the newly appointed leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, confirmed that plans exist within the federal government to establish a new alternative civilian service.
Speaking to RTL and ntv on Tuesday, Frei explained that should the nation decide to reintroduce mandatory military service, a corresponding replacement duty would necessarily need to be in place. He complimented the Federal Family Ministry, stating that it was “very wise and correct” for the ministry to prepare for all possible eventualities and various scenarios.
However, when questioned about any recent momentum in the debate over military service, Frei stated that “there is no new discussion and no new level of discussion.” Nonetheless, he stressed that the federal government must prepare for different contingencies, as he noted that it is impossible to rule out the possibility that decisions might need to be made quickly in the future. In such a scenario, he concluded, the resulting consequences would have to be clearly defined.
