A prominent member of the German Parliament’s CDU/CSU parliamentary group has voiced strong criticism of a proposed national service bill set to be approved by the cabinet on Wednesday. Norbert Röttgen, Deputy Parliamentary Group Leader, stated that, in its current form, the legislation falls short of adequately addressing Germany’s defense capabilities.
Röttgen, in comments to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, argued the draft lacks specific targets and timelines, hindering effective implementation and monitoring of progress. He specifically pointed to a discrepancy with the Swedish model, referenced in the current coalition agreement, which mandates a fixed annual recruitment number complemented by compulsory service if volunteer numbers are insufficient.
The CDU politician emphasized the necessity of building a force of approximately 260,000 active and reserve soldiers by 2035, representing a net increase of 90,000 from the current level of around 170,000. Röttgen cautioned that inaction during the current legislative period could jeopardize achieving this target. He affirmed that the CDU/CSU parliamentary group will be advocating for amendments to the bill during the parliamentary process.
