Summary
Germany is working to build Europe's strongest conventional army and has passed a law that could make military service mandatory. The country aims to increase its military numbers significantly and spend more on defense, partly due to concerns about Russia.
Key Facts
- Germany has passed a law that could require mandatory military service, though currently, joining the military is voluntary.
- The German military, known as the Bundeswehr, had 184,000 active troops as of last November and plans to increase this to 260,000 by 2035.
- Germany also plans to double its reservists to 200,000 by 2035.
- The country is investing 108 billion euros this year to strengthen its military, which is 2.5% of its GDP.
- Germany plans to increase its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2030.
- German public opinion has shifted towards greater support for defense spending due to security concerns with Russia.
- Many Germans no longer believe the USA will guarantee Europe’s security, with 84% expressing this view as of December 2025.
