New military service: Security Policy Commission begins work!

New military service: Security Policy Commission begins work!

On June 2, 2025, the newly founded Military Service Commission under the leadership of Major General Erwin Hameseder. Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner opened the first meeting at the Federal Ministry of Defense and emphasized the urgency of developing new concepts for compulsory military service in view of the deteriorating security situation in Europe.

The commission consists of a total of 23 members, ten of whom have voting rights. The voting members include Walter Feichtinger, military expert and deputy to Hameseder, as well as representatives from the ministries of defense, finance and foreign affairs. The advisory members include the federal school spokeswoman Mira Langhammer and representatives of the civil service agency and the trade union federation. All members carry out their functions on a voluntary basis.

Background and objectives

The aim of the commission is, among other things, to advise alternative models for military and civilian service and to promote the staffing of the militia. Minister Tanner pointed to the increasing military national defense and described the Federal Army as a “strategic reserve”. By the end of the year, the commission is expected to present a report with three proposals that will fundamentally discuss the design of compulsory military service.

The security situation in Europe has deteriorated significantly due to the ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine and global trouble spots. These developments make a reform of compulsory military service necessary in order to ensure the full operational readiness of the armed forces and increased training activities.

Compulsory military service – an overview

General conscription plays a central role in the discussion about security policy in Europe. In many countries, conscription was introduced in the past in order to oblige citizens to serve in the armed forces for a limited period of time, as is regulated in Germany, among others, by Article 12a of the Basic Law. Conscription was suspended there in 2011, but never abolished. The context of conscription is becoming increasingly relevant, especially in view of current security policy challenges. The discussion about a possible return or reform of compulsory military service has therefore become more intense following recent developments, such as Federal Agency for Civic Education explained.

Overall, the new Military Service Commission hopes to take a comprehensive look at compulsory military service and the associated social challenges in order to meet future security policy requirements.