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Defense Minister Pistorius: “Explicitly not in favor of the reactivation of conscription”
Photo: JOHANNA GERON / REUTERS
In the course of the "turning point" proclaimed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, certainties of German foreign and security policy that have been going on for years are to be questioned.
The subject of constant discussion: a reintroduction of conscription, which was abolished in 2011.
Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) is now appealing, however, not to burden young people with such a decision without a prior social debate.
As a 62-year-old, he was reluctant to "burden a generation that already has a difficult future ahead of it, such a general duty," said Pistorius.
He "expressly did not speak out for the reactivation of conscription," said the minister.
"Not the necessary appreciation for the fire brigade and Red Cross, police and army"
According to Pistorius, however, there are reasons for a so-called compulsory service that would not be limited to the Bundeswehr.
»What would speak for it in my view?
In the past few months, the impression has arisen that some do not have the necessary appreciation for the fire brigade and the Red Cross, the police and the armed forces," said the SPD politician.
Compulsory service could help bring people and government organizations a little closer together, said Pistorius.
"It could show how important these institutions are for the functioning of our society."
Before doing so, however, political opinions need to be formed in which the voices of young people are heard.
He considers such a discussion about general compulsory service "valuable".
Compulsory military service was suspended in 2011 after 55 years under the then CSU Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, which in practice was tantamount to abolishing military and civilian service.
Role model Norway or »ghost discussion«?
Pistorius had recently described the suspension of conscription as a mistake, but at the same time noted that even if it were reintroduced, it would take years for it to help the troops.
Resistance quickly arose within the traffic light coalition.
FDP leader Christian Lindner spoke of a "ghost discussion" with regard to the conscription debate.
Demands for conscription, for example on the model of Norway, have also come from high-ranking military officials in recent weeks.
In Norway, all young men and women would be screened, said marine inspector Jan Christian Kaack.
That's about 70,000 a year.
The armed forces then defined how many they want to take.
That's around 15,000 a year.
fek/dpa
