CNN: Germany wants to build the strongest army in Europe

According to Isna, German Chancellor Friedrich Mertes pledged this year to build the strongest army in Europe, which is a difficult task for a country whose army has been neglected for years.

Germany’s coalition government hopes a new plan agreed last week will help make that happen, bolstering German forces in the face of what it calls a Russian threat, as well as a significant shift in US foreign policy.

The sweeping new reforms will see Germany increase its troop numbers to 260,000 from the current 180,000 by 2035, plus another 200,000 in reserve.

According to CNN, the plan will focus primarily on voluntary enrollment, with additional incentives for such individuals, including a monthly starting salary of 2,600 euros ($3,000) — a 450-euro increase from current levels.

If the new quotas are not provided, the German government can impose a mandatory call for military service if necessary.

According to the American network, all 18-year-olds in Germany will receive a questionnaire about their interest in the service from next year. Answering this questionnaire will be mandatory for men. Also, from 2027, 18-year-old men will also have to undergo mandatory medical examinations.

These measures are in the context of the US President Donald Trump’s administration warning that Europe must take responsibility for its own security, the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, and regional experts say that Moscow may attack one of the NATO member states in the next step.

Before the new plan was presented, the German government’s coalition partners – the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the centre-left Social Democratic Union (SPD) – had been at odds for weeks over what type of conscription should be introduced. One idea was “lottery-style conscription,” in which a lottery was used to select young men for medical screening, and then another lottery was used to call them up for service.

The proposal was ultimately rejected by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who instead said that enlistments should be based around incentives such as better pay and other financial rewards.

Germany previously had conscription for men aged 18 to 23, but this law was suspended in 2011 in favor of an all-volunteer army.

The plan still needs to be approved by the German parliament, or Bundestag, to take effect, and lawmakers are expected to vote on it by the end of the year. If this happens, it will take effect on January 1, 2026.

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