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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Deborah Cole in Berlin

Uproar in Germany over law requiring men get military approval for long stays abroad

Germany United States
School students march in Leipzig, Germany, last month in protest against possible mandatory military service
School students march in Leipzig, Germany, last month in protest against possible mandatory military service. Photograph: Craig Stennett/Getty Images

A little-noticed clause in sweeping changes to Germany’s military service policy has caused uproar after it emerged that the law requires men aged up to 45 to get permission from the armed forces before any significant stay abroad, even in peacetime.

The legislation, which went into effect on 1 January, aims to bolster the military and demands all 18-year-old men fill out a questionnaire to gauge their suitability to serve in the armed forces, but stops short of conscription.

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