Germany is thinking about bringing back conscription
But the chancellor is reluctant
“Kriegstüchtig” does not trip easily off the English tongue. Nor does it fall easily on German ears. Translated roughly as “war-ready”, it is a word deployed by Boris Pistorius, the defence minister, to describe his favoured destination for the long under-resourced Bundeswehr, or armed forces. Money is now pouring in, and Mr Pistorius is overhauling the Bundeswehr’s structures. But like many of its nato allies, Germany is struggling to find enough willing recruits. The minister is among many who want Germany to consider restoring conscription, suspended since 2011, to get the numbers up.
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This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Bulking up the Bundeswehr”
Europe June 8th 2024
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- Russia’s explosion of a huge Ukrainian dam had surprising effects
- Germany is thinking about bringing back conscription
- The Dutch are getting a half-populist, half-pragmatist government
- Remembering the Normandy landings
- Peak Europe turns 25: why June 1999 marked the continent’s zenith
From the June 8th 2024 edition
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