Conscript women into army, says German general

A German general said women should be conscripted into the armed forces as part of plans to revive national service and counter Russian aggression.

Carsten Breuer, the Bundeswehr chief of defence, said that in the interests of equality women should be drafted into the army and that national service for both sexes should be compulsory.

“We have at present a suspended military service, which according to the Basic Law is aimed only at the male population. We should establish equality here, but first we need a corresponding political and social discussion,” he said in an interview with news outlet Redaktionsnetzwerk.

Germany is on a mission to expand its army, with ambitions to become Europe’s biggest military spender.

Last month officials released a 67-page document outlining how the outbreak of war would affect civilians, in particular those in professions that can support the army.

Gen Breuer said Germany needed 100,000 volunteers for an effective conscription force but it would struggle unless national service was made compulsory.

Germany ended conscription in 2011 as part of a reform that sought to downsize the army and professionalise the remaining soldiers. It was also unpopular among Germans, with many opting for civilian national service duties.

But the Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered a Zeitenwende, or turning of the times, in German foreign policy amid concerns that a conflict with Moscow could break out within the next five to seven years.

The conscription model is being drawn up by Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, who has vowed to transform Germany into a “kriegstüchtigkeit” or “war-ready” nation.

Mr Pistorius is in favour of the so-called Swedish model, where 100,000 18-year-olds are screened annually, but only the top 5 per cent end up serving.

He unveiled parts of the conscription model in June, saying it would involve questionnaires for about 50,000 young people followed by medical screening and the recruitment of a select 5,000 people for six months of service.

“The law should come into force before the summer break so that we can utilise the first capacities before the end of 2025,” he said.

A more ambitious option would be full conscription for all 18-years-olds, male and female, though the Bundeswehr is said to lack the capacity to take on such a huge number of recruits.

In an interview with the Telegraph earlier this year, Gen Breuer said he had “no doubt” his army could repel a Russian invasion on Nato’s eastern flank, even if it occurred in the near future.

“The paramount importance [is] of achieving the readiness of Germany’s armed forces within the next five years. We call this kriegstüchtigkeit – being ready, capable and willing to fight. We are on the right track,” he said.