A majority of Germans would be in favor of the reestablishment of compulsory military service in the Central European country, suspended more than ten years ago and whose reintroduction is being debated amid the new threat situation in Europa created by the Russian war in Ukraine.
According to a survey carried out by the opinion research institute Forsa for the television channels RTL/ntv, 52% believe that compulsory military service should be reinstated compared to 44% who are against.
The majority of those who oppose restoring compulsory military service are under 30 years old, as well as supporters of the Greens and the liberal FDP party.
The strongest supporters of the reintroduction of compulsory military service are among those close to the parties of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)the extreme right AfD and the new leftist party BSW o League Sara Wagenknecht.
Those who vote Social Democratic Party (SPD) They are divided on this issue.
Compulsory military service was suspended in 2011 in Germanybut a few months ago the Minister of Defense, Boris Pistoriusput on the table the possibility of its reintroduction by stating that its elimination was a mistake.
Pistorius wants a “Bundeswehr (Armed Forces) ready for war,” he said.
Last week, he revealed that he is examining models for conscription.
The SPD politician sympathizes with the Swedish model, but at the same time admitted that it could not be introduced as is in Germany as it does not cover the entire age group.
He has also said that the decision is not his, but that it would form part of a broader debate in the German political landscape and the coalition government, formed by the Greens, the FDP and the SPD.
The German Chancellor Olaf Scholzof the SPD, stated during a conversation with readers of the VRM media group that he does not believe that a general compulsory service for young people will be reintroduced in Germany.
Recruitment had been unfair in previous years, so compulsory military service was eventually suspended.
“We will not return to an army with 400,000 soldiers”he indicated.
To reintroduce compulsory service for young people, it would also be necessary to modify the Basic Law, since it prohibited forced labor after the experiences of the Nazi dictatorship, he explained.
However, the so-called Bundeswehr personnel offensive has not progressed in recent years and the number of soldiers has recently decreased to 181,500.
Forsa also asked in the survey whether Germans believe that Putin will also attack NATO member countries if Russia wins the war of aggression against Ukraine.
The majority of Germans, 54%, assume that the head of the Kremlin would do it compared to 39% who consider it impossible.
A large majority of supporters of the SPD, Greens, FDP and CDU believe that Putin would attack allies after a possible victory over Ukraine, while a large majority of AfD and BSW supporters believe that a Russian attack is out of the question. of discussion. EFE (I)
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