German opposition demands reinstatement of conscription
Markus Soeder of the CSU party has suggested that Germany should reinstate the previous military draft to bolster its defense capabilities and those of NATO against potential Russian aggression. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The political landscape in Germany is shifting as the Christian Social Union (CSU), the party that ended the draft in 2011, now calls for its reinstatement due to the evolving situation stemming from the Ukraine conflict.
Markus Soeder, leader of the CSU and head of Bavaria, emphasized the urgent need to reintroduce conscription, procure more drones, and enhance military capabilities. Speaking to the outlet Bild ahead of the CSU conference in Augsburg, Soeder expressed, “What is needed is money for the Bundeswehr, clear [funding] structures, drones and of course conscription. As quickly as possible. Otherwise, the ability [of Germany] to defend itself cannot be guaranteed in the long term.”
The draft was abolished in 2011 during Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg's tenure as defense minister, a move Soeder noted by stating, “times have changed.”
Soeder criticized BSW leader Sahra Wagenknecht for her disapproval of Berlin's support for Ukraine, arguing that a potential defeat of Ukraine could pose a risk to Germany.
He articulated, “It’s not about international missions now, but about national and alliance defense. That requires a different Bundeswehr across the board.”
While praising current Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Soeder claimed his ideas are unimplemented due to a lack of backing from the government and instances of mismanagement. He questioned: “Please explain to me how weapons are being bought and armies supplied all over the world, only in Germany it takes decades to get a drone. That can’t be true.”
Soeder went further to accuse the ruling coalition of “trickery with the budget,” which he said has left the military underfunded. He dismissed Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s proposals for reintroducing conscription as “nothing more than a statistical survey.”
Earlier this year, the Defense Ministry had devised three proposals to bolster the Bundeswehr. The first suggested enticing voluntary enlistment, the second involved an optional questionnaire for 18-year-olds, while the third proposed reinstating conscription for both men and women. The latter scenario was deemed the “most promising” but would require constitutional amendments.
However, Soeder argued that reinstating the previous draft would be the simplest approach, as it wouldn’t necessitate constitutional changes. He stated that conscription could help instill the values of “freedom, democracy and justice” in young Germans and cautioned, “If we make conscription compulsory, then please don’t do it like in the last few years of the draft, where anyone who had a problem with their toenail was immediately declared unfit for service.”
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
Markus Soeder, leader of the CSU and head of Bavaria, emphasized the urgent need to reintroduce conscription, procure more drones, and enhance military capabilities. Speaking to the outlet Bild ahead of the CSU conference in Augsburg, Soeder expressed, “What is needed is money for the Bundeswehr, clear [funding] structures, drones and of course conscription. As quickly as possible. Otherwise, the ability [of Germany] to defend itself cannot be guaranteed in the long term.”
The draft was abolished in 2011 during Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg's tenure as defense minister, a move Soeder noted by stating, “times have changed.”
Soeder criticized BSW leader Sahra Wagenknecht for her disapproval of Berlin's support for Ukraine, arguing that a potential defeat of Ukraine could pose a risk to Germany.
He articulated, “It’s not about international missions now, but about national and alliance defense. That requires a different Bundeswehr across the board.”
While praising current Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Soeder claimed his ideas are unimplemented due to a lack of backing from the government and instances of mismanagement. He questioned: “Please explain to me how weapons are being bought and armies supplied all over the world, only in Germany it takes decades to get a drone. That can’t be true.”
Soeder went further to accuse the ruling coalition of “trickery with the budget,” which he said has left the military underfunded. He dismissed Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s proposals for reintroducing conscription as “nothing more than a statistical survey.”
Earlier this year, the Defense Ministry had devised three proposals to bolster the Bundeswehr. The first suggested enticing voluntary enlistment, the second involved an optional questionnaire for 18-year-olds, while the third proposed reinstating conscription for both men and women. The latter scenario was deemed the “most promising” but would require constitutional amendments.
However, Soeder argued that reinstating the previous draft would be the simplest approach, as it wouldn’t necessitate constitutional changes. He stated that conscription could help instill the values of “freedom, democracy and justice” in young Germans and cautioned, “If we make conscription compulsory, then please don’t do it like in the last few years of the draft, where anyone who had a problem with their toenail was immediately declared unfit for service.”
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
