OR Germanyalthough it now has significant resources to re -arrange against the threat by the Russiafaces serious difficulties in finding adequate soldiers, as the labor market is already under pressure.

As stated in Bloombergthe attempt to reorganize the Armed Forces comes after decades of neglect, while German society ages and much of the population is leaving the labor market. The same demographic pressures have already left German factories and businesses with a lack of specialized staff, which makes it difficult to strengthen the army.

Although other European countries face similar problems, the range of Germany’s problem is unique. The new demands of NATO They impose an increase in the regular army from about 180,000 to 260,000 troops, as well as reinforcement of the reserve with hundreds of thousands, who can be recruited in times of crisis, according to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

At the same time, the Government of Chancellor Friedrich Mertz is promoting a wide plan for modernizing the country’s infrastructure, which also absorbs human resources. In this context, the government is considering reinstating a form of compulsory military service, and analysts also put in the possible integration of immigrants into the Armed Forces.

At the table the mandatory term

Chancellor Friedrich Mertz said last month that the main challenge to strengthen the German army is not funding, but the lack of human resources. He even called on German companies to temporarily allow workers to be released in order to acquire military skills.

Such statements feed the public debate on the possible return of compulsory military service, which was suspended in 2011. About 55% of Germans allegedly supported its return. Although the government is planning a voluntary model on Sweden’s standards, both Mertz and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius have left open the possibility of reinstating mandatory if progress is slow.

The Mertz Council of Ministers is expected to approve the relevant bill in the last week of August so that the voluntary term will be implemented by January. Pistorius’ goal is to attract more than 110,000 military men by the end of the decade.

In the background, MPs of the Conservative Area are pushing Social Democratic Government Partners to strengthen the bill with binding mechanisms that will allow compulsory recruitment in the event of a voluntary model.

However, there are serious doubts as to whether such a measure will attribute to an economy that has been shrinking for two years and is facing strong deficiencies in specialized workforce, necessary to modernize the country.

Although unemployment has grown slightly, it is expected to be re -reduced, as the government is promoting infrastructure projects of hundreds of billions of euros.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has openly recognized that the aging of the population is a problem for the Armed Forces. As he recently stated, the army should replace a “wave” of retirement, in addition to finding new soldiers.

At the same time, he argued that any model -based model would only concern the strengthening of reserves, while regular staff should be hired in other ways.

However, this proves to be particularly difficult. In 2024, the number of soldiers fell below 180,000, the lowest level since 2018, despite persistent efforts to exceed the 200,000 threshold.

Former Armed Forces Commissioner, Eva Hegel, said in a report in March that military forces have been facing “serious challenges in recruitment for years, aggravated by demographic changes and competition with the private market”.

Although the mandatory term may seem to be an economically advantageous solution, researchers at the IFO Institute in Munich warn that it is not so simple. The military is removed from the labor market for a critical time, delay their studies and limit their future income, which has a wider impact on both the economy and society.

The mandatory term, according to a 2024 report by the IFO Institute, may have a serious impact on the economy.

The delay in entrying young people into the labor market and reducing consumption over a voluntary system -based system would have, as reported, “active consequences for the whole economy”.

“To achieve the volunteer model, the most important thing is to improve the earnings,” said one of the authors of the study. “It should also be ensured that the Army has sufficient equipment resources to be an attractive workplace.”

In this context, the German government has abandoned strict fiscal restrictions by proceeding with increased costs to modernize military means. The Armed Forces say that “creative campaigns on social media” and local recruitment actions had a positive impact, allowing at least stabilizing the number of soldiers last year.

However, with military analysts warning that Russia could be ready to attack Europe over the next five years, the likelihood of real involvement in war operations may have been inhibiting many young people.