Concerns are emerging regarding proposed reforms to Germany’s military service program, with social welfare organizations expressing apprehension that the changes could negatively impact existing voluntary service initiatives. Eva Welskop-Deffaa, President of Caritas, voiced these concerns in an interview with the Tagesspiegel, specifically referencing plans for increased compensation within the military service framework, currently being developed by the Defense Ministry.
Welskop-Deffaa stressed the importance of ensuring that military service enhancements do not come at the expense of civil volunteer programs. She advocates for a system allowing young individuals to choose between military service, civil defense volunteering and traditional voluntary years, emphasizing that all these options must be presented and structured with equal standing and financial recognition.
According to Caritas, approximately 100,000 young people currently participate in voluntary service after completing their education. Welskop-Deffaa believes this number could be readily doubled, augmenting the number of volunteers in military service, but only if a “voluntary societal year” model, similar to the Swedish approach, is successfully implemented. This approach should avoid reliance on mandatory service as a fallback option.
To facilitate this expansion and protect existing programs, Caritas calls for the immediate enactment of a comprehensive “Voluntary Service Strengthening Law”. This legislation should guarantee a legal right to participate in voluntary service and establish state funding to cover allowance and compensation payments for all participating individuals.
