Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

In Germany, there is growing discussion around the idea of making military or national service in the Bundeswehr compulsory—not just for men, but for women as well, Azernews reports.

According to Tagesspiegel, Thomas Röwekamp, the chairman of the Bundestag's Defense Committee, has voiced strong support for the initiative.

“I believe that every man and woman—regardless of whether they are of German or foreign origin—should dedicate a year of their lives to serving our society,” Röwekamp said. “Every year, around 700,000 young people graduate from schools and universities in Germany. The government needs to explain to them that they have a responsibility to contribute to peace, freedom, democracy, and prosperity.”

While Röwekamp supports the concept of universal service, he admitted that a legislative amendment introducing mandatory military conscription for both sexes is unlikely to gain majority support in the Bundestag at this time.

Importantly, the proposal doesn't strictly focus on armed service. The vision includes various forms of civic engagement—volunteering in social, environmental, or medical sectors. This broader model resembles national service programs in countries like Sweden or Israel, where conscription includes both civilian and military options.

Germany suspended mandatory conscription in 2011, transitioning to an all-volunteer military. However, amid rising geopolitical tensions and increasing pressure on NATO countries to bolster defense capabilities, conversations about reinstating some form of national service have resurfaced.

The idea of including women in compulsory service reflects changing social norms and an effort to modernize civic responsibility in line with gender equality. If implemented, Germany would be among the few European countries to require universal service from both men and women.

Public opinion on the matter remains divided—some see it as a valuable opportunity to foster unity and civic responsibility, while others argue it infringes on personal freedom and may not be effective in addressing military recruitment challenges.