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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Via AP news wire

German defense minister says draft could return if volunteer numbers fall short

Boris Pistorius Germany
Belgium EU Defense - (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Germany may reinstate compulsory military service if a revamped volunteer system fails to meet recruitment goals, the defense minister said in comments published Saturday.

In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Boris Pistorius laid out a timeline for Germany’s new military service model, which aims to bolster the understrength army. The initial program will rely on voluntary enlistment, but Pistorius warned that could change.

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